Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Oxford United vs. Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 21 January 2024, 17:33
Two teams battling for promotion from League One this season will lock horns for an intriguing contest on Tuesday evening, with sixth-placed Oxford United welcoming fifth-placed Barnsley.

The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 3-1 victory at Carlisle United on January 13, while Barnsley beat the same opponents 2-1 in their last game on January 16.

Match preview

Oxford have never played in the Championship, so the team are chasing history this season, and an impressive campaign to date has left them in sixth position in the League One table on 49 points.

Des Buckingham's side have won 15, drawn four and lost seven of their 26 league games this season, and they are level on points with fifth-placed Barnsley and just six behind Peterborough United in second.

It is fascinating at the top of the League One table, as just seven points separate the top six, demonstrating the importance of this contest, and Oxford will enter the fixture off the back of a 3-1 win over Carlisle on January 13.

Oxford had been due to face Northampton Town on Saturday, but the match was called off due to a frozen pitch, with the surface at the Kassam Stadium not deemed to be usable.

The U's recorded a 3-1 victory over Barnsley when the two teams locked horns in the reverse match last August, but they were beaten 2-1 by Tuesday's opponents in the corresponding fixture during the 2022-23 campaign.

Barnsley, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 success over Carlisle on January 16, which stretched their unbeaten run in the third tier of English football to 10 matches.

Neill Collins's side have won six and drawn four of their last 10 games in League One, with their strong run of form moving them up into fifth position in the table, boasting a record of 14 wins, seven draws and five defeats from their 26 matches during the 2023-24 campaign.

The Tykes finished fourth in League One last season, which saw them make the playoffs, dispatching Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals, but they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday in the final.

Barnsley, who saw Saturday's clash with Stevenage called off due to a frozen pitch, were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2021-22 season, so they are in their second straight campaign at this level, but they will be expecting to seriously challenge for a return to the second tier.

Collins's team have impressed on their travels this season, picking up 25 points from their 12 matches, recording seven wins in the process, but Oxford have also won seven of their 12 fixtures on home soil.

Oxford United League One form:

W

L

W

L

W

W

Oxford United form (all competitions):

W

L

W

L

L

W

Barnsley League One form:

W

W

D

D

W

W

Advert - content below:

Team News

Oxford have not been in action since January 13, so tiredness should not be an issue, and it is more than likely that head coach Buckingham will name an unchanged side from the success over Carlisle.

Mark Harris moved onto 10 goals for the season with a brace last time out, and the 25-year-old is a certainty to feature in the final third of the field once again.

Cameron Brannagan and Tyler Goodrham have also been in strong scoring form this season, netting seven times each, and the pair will continue in the starting XI for this clash.

As for Barnsley, Devante Cole has been the team's main source of goals this term, finding the back of the net on 16 occasions in all competitions, and he is set to be partnered in attack by John McAtee.

The 24-year-old has nine goals to his name this term, so Oxford will be taking on a front two with 24 goals between them this season.

Head coach Collins is unlikely to make any changes from the clash with Carlisle last time out, with Herbie Kane, who has netted seven times from midfield this season, also featuring in the XI.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Smyth, Moore, Brown; Stevens, McGuane, Goodrham, Bennett; Rodrigues, Harris, Brannagan

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Williams, De Gevigney, Shepherd; Connell; O'Keeffe, Phillips, Kane, Styles; McAtee, Cole

We say: Oxford United 1-1 Barnsley

This is a really tough match to call, and both managers would likely accept a point if it were offered ahead of kickoff. There will be a desire from both not to lose this game, which could make it a cagey affair, and we are expecting the points to be shared on Tuesday night.

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea star Cole Palmer will be bidding to add to an incredible Premier League record when he lines up against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon. 22 November 2024 talksport.com The Premier League is back and that can only mean one thing. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Manchester City are confident of agreeing a lucrative new contract with Erling Haaland after Pep Guardiola agreed to stay, talkSPORT understands. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will be aiming to build on their impressive win over Osasuna before the international break when they resume their domestic campaign with a clash against Leganes on Sunday evening. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool manager Arne Slot has delivered a mixed injury update ahead of the Reds' imminent showdowns with Southampton in the Premier League and Real Madrid in the Champions League. 22 November 2024 talksport.com The January transfer window is an opportunity for teams to fix their summer spending on the cheap, or in these cases, for free. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Kai Havertz may have transformed himself at Arsenal - but he's not on the level of his Premier League rivals. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea defender Reece James has suggested that he is remaining upbeat over his latest hamstring injury. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Mohamed Salah is one of the world's best players and he has become one of the top five Liverpool goalscorers ever. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Phil Foden is a superstar for Manchester City, but he still opts to wear an unconventional number at his boyhood club. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The latest instalment of the Basque derby will take place at San Mames on Sunday night, with Athletic Bilbao welcoming rivals Real Sociedad for what should be a highly-charged affair. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa will be looking to extend a Premier League feat when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having entered the international break with a run of three straight defeats, both Torino and Monza will try to stop the rot on Sunday, when they lock horns in Turin. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Third kits in the Premier League have caught the eye this season and you will certainly notice a unique difference from typical strips… 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal's Premier League home clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon is their "biggest game of the season" so far, according to Gunners expert Charles Watts. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sevilla will attempt to bounce back from successive defeats in La Liga when they continue their campaign with a fixture against Rayo Vallecano at Estadio Ramon on Sunday afternoon. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will endeavour to maintain or increase their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table when they pit their wits against Southampton on Sunday at St Mary's. 22 November 2024 talksport.com There can't be many things better for a football fan than to see your side score within the first minute of a game. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fifth will welcome fourth in an intriguing La Liga contest on Sunday afternoon, with Villarreal making the trip to El Sadar Stadium to tackle Osasuna. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Jose Mourinho once confirmed he received an offer from the FA to become England manager after leaving his first spell as Chelsea boss. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle have the chance to close in on the Premier League's top four on Monday when they host West Ham, live on talkSPORT. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by 19 places and 24 points in the Premier League table, Southampton and Liverpool cross paths in Sunday's Premier League showdown at St Mary's Stadium. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is expecting to be without Trent Alexander-Arnold for Sunday's Premier League bout with Southampton at St Mary's. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will be aiming to make it successive victories in La Liga when they resume their campaign with a clash against Leganes on Sunday evening. 22 November 2024 talksport.com The Premier League has been treated to the talents of some of the best African footballers of all time over the years. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Southampton head coach Russell Martin will be forced into at least two changes for Sunday's Premier League clash with leaders Liverpool at St Mary's. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Manchester City face another legal dispute with the Premier League after amendments to top-flight sponsorship rules were voted through. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to continue their sensational unbeaten streak, Lille will welcome a struggling Rennes outfit to Decathlon Arena on Sunday afternoon for a Ligue 1 clash. 22 November 2024 talksport.com If Micah Richards had a glimmer of hope he would replace Gary Lineker as Match of the Day host, he is sorely mistaken. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Pedro Porro's agent is reportedly 'convinced' that Ruben Amorim will attempt to bring the Tottenham Hotspur defender to Manchester United following his arrival at Old Trafford.