Preview: Oxford United vs. Forest Green Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts have climbed to 12th spot thanks to a five-game unbeaten run, while their visitors are now four points adrift of safety at the foot of the division.

Match preview

After making a relatively slow start to the League One campaign under the management of Karl Robinson, picking up 14 points from their opening 13 outings, Oxford United appear to have found their form in recent weeks and now find themselves in a five-game unbeaten run in England's third tier.

Following a commendable draw away at Portsmouth, the U's were able to put a fifth league win of the season on the board against Bolton Wanderers, before earning a point against Fleetwood Town thanks to Gatlin O'Donkor's second-half equaliser.

Robinson's side would then draw by the same scoreline away at Shrewsbury Town and were most recently in third-tier action last Saturday at home to Port Vale, and they triumphed in dominant fashion, dishing out a 4-0 thrashing as Billy Bodin and Matt Taylor both netted braces.

They now head into the weekend's contest on the back of an FA cup victory away at Woking on Wednesday, as Bodin again found the net alongside Tyler Goodrham in a 2-1 win to book their place in the second round.

With their improved run of form taking them into the top half, Oxford will look to continue building momentum and rising towards the fight for playoff places with a second straight three-point haul in League One on Saturday.

They meet a Forest Green Rovers side fighting to turn their form around, with the newly-promoted visitors struggling at the bottom of the league.

With 11 points from their opening 12 games, The Green appeared to be finding their feet in their new surroundings, but a poor run of form since has seen them add just two more points to their tally in six outings.

Ian Burchnall's side have struggled at both ends of the pitch since their promotion, with only Burton Albion conceding more than the 37 goals they have shipped thus far and only Cheltenham Town and Morecambe scoring fewer than the 15 they have managed, while they now find themselves looking for a first league win in seven games and just a fourth of the campaign.

Following defeats to Portsmouth and Barnsley, either side of a draw with Fleetwood Town, and an FA Cup victory over non-league South Shields, they most recently hosted Wycombe Wanderers last weekend and were again unable to add to their points tally, with first-half goals from David Wheeler and Garath McCleary making the difference in a 2-0 away victory.

While that result does see them remain at the foot of the table, the bottom end of the division remains particularly tight at this stage, with 21st-placed MK Dons only a point better off, and Burchnall's men will hope that they can quickly improve their position if they are able to put a run of positive results together in the coming weeks.

Oxford United League One form:

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D

W

D

D

W

Oxford United form (all competitions):

D

W

D

D

W

W

Forest Green Rovers League One form:

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D

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D

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L

Forest Green Rovers form (all competitions):

W

L

D

L

W

L

Team News

Matt Taylor will lead the Oxford United line with confidence after netting a brace in their victory last weekend, while winger Billy Bodin poses a major threat having also scored twice in that game.

Their key man is arguably midfielder Cameron Brannagan, who has notched up eight goals so far this season including six in League One.

He will feature from the outset after serving a suspension in their last league game, with Lewis Bate and Marcus McGuane likely partnering up behind him at the base of midfield.

Forest Green Rovers will remain without star forward Mathew Stevens, who has missed the entirety of the season thus far through injury, after he helped fire them to promotion with 23 goals in 37 League Two appearances last term.

In his absence, attacking responsibility has fallen on Connor Wickham, with the experienced forward finding the net five times in 13 league games thus far since his arrival in August.

At the other end of the pitch, captain Baily Cargill remains a doubt and is unlikely to feature at the weekend, leaving Dom Bernard, Oliver Casey and Christian Marques to again form the back three.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Anderson, Moore, Findlay, Brown; McGuane, Bate; Browne, Brannagan, Bodin; Taylor

Forest Green Rovers possible starting lineup:

Thomas; Bernard, Casey, Marques; O'Keefe, Bunker, Hendry, Boyes; McAllister; Matt, Wickham

We say: Oxford United 2-0 Forest Green Rovers

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