Ipswich Town entertain Oxford United at Portman Road tomorrow afternoon. MIKE BACON takes a look at Town's opponents.
AS IT STANDS...
Four points and three places ahead of Town in the League One standings, Oxford United come to Portman Road in rude health.
The U's sit top of the current 'last six game' form guide with five wins and one defeat. Last weekend, like Town, they drew their FA Cup first round tie (with Bristol Rovers at the Kassam Stadium) and face a tricky return in Bristol next week.
The U's good league form will certainly be put to the test in the next month or so with today's trip to Suffolk being followed by clashes with Rotherham, MK Dons and Wigan (twice) coming up.
It's the start of a big period for Karl Robinson's side.
MEET THE GAFFER
Merseyside-born Oxford gaffer, Karl Robinson, has enjoyed plenty of success at the U's since he took over at the club in March 2018 after a six-year spell at MK Dons and a shorter one at Charlton.
Oxford were adjudged to have finished the COVID-affected 2019–20 season in fourth place in the League on average points per game; they reached the play-off final but lost to Wycombe Wanderers.
Last season Robinson guided Oxford again to the play-off places, finishing sixth in League One before losing to Blackpool in the first round of the play-offs 6-3 on aggregate.
Robinson's win ratio at Oxford is a healthy 42% from 200 games managed.
HEAD TO HEAD
Town and Oxford have met on 24 occasions in all competitions.
The first time the two sides met was in 1984, Town winning a League Cup clash at Portman Road, 2-1.
The two teams met twice in 1998, at the end of one season and the beginning of the next and there were goals galore, Town winning 5-2 at Portman Road, while it was a 3-3 draw at the start of the next season at Oxford.
However, in recent times goals have been few and far between.
In the previous four meetings between the sides there have been three 0-0 draws and a 1-0 win to Oxford in February 2020. Hopefully that stat will change for a more entertaining clash today.
Certainly, both sides are currently finding the net with regularity, so don't put too much belief on another goalless fest between the two.
INJURY BLOW FOR U'S
Oxford midfielder Alex Rodriguez-Gorrin will be out for "a few months" after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during the team's FA Cup draw with Bristol Rovers.
The Spaniard, 28, joined Oxford in 2019 having spent a year at Motherwell.
Rodriguez-Gorrin has been a regular starter for the League One club and has made 17 appearances this season.
He will be a big miss for Robinson's side, although Robinson does have a strong squad to choose from apart from Gorrin's injury.
WHAT THE BOOKIES SAY
Despite Oxford having lost just one in six in League One, Town are slight favourites with the bookies for this one. Then again Town are on good form themselves. But there's not a lot in it.
TOWN WIN: 5/4: U'S WIN: 11/5: THE DRAW: 21/10
DID YOU KNOW?
The Great Hall at Christ Church College, Oxford, was used as inspiration for the Hogwarts dining hall in the Harry Potter films. The staircase leading up to the hall was actually used in several scenes in the films.
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