Oxford United kick off the new Championship campaign at home against John Mousinho’s Portsmouth on Saturday.
Both sides are set for their second season in the second tier following promotion from League One in 2024.
Read More: Oxford United Weekly Round-Up: Prelec Arrival, Spanish Double and Transfer Rumours
Oxford United Welcome Portsmouth
Team News, Form and Prediction
Oxford ended their pre-season with a 3-0 win over Spanish side, Málaga. The U’s began their summer with a tour of Indonesia which provided two wins and ten goals scored from their opening two games, but lost in the final of the President’s Cup against Thai side, Port FC. Back on home soil, Gary Rowett’s side edged past Mansfield before a narrow defeat against Bristol Rovers and draw against Leganes.
As for Pompey, they picked up wins on the road at Woking, Farnborough and Reading, all without conceding a goal, but did lose at Crawley. They secured a 1-0 win over Eredivisie side Zwolle in their most recent fixture.
Rowett is without several players through injury, including Ciaron Brown, Ole Romeny and Przemyslaw Placheta. Summer signing Luke Harris is also absent with an ankle problem.
In addition to Harris, the U’s have also seen the arrivals of defender Brodie Spencer, midfielder Brian De Keersmaecker and strikers Nik Prelec and Will Lankshear. Ruben Rodrigues and Idris El Mizouni were the two major departures in the summer.
Portsmouth are without key striker Colby Bishop, who missed the game against Zwolle, but former U’s man and Wembley hero Josh Murphy is available.
Mousinho has bolstered his midfield with the arrival of Mark Kosznovszky, John Swift and Luke Le Roux, while wingers Adrian Segecic and Florian Bianchini have also moved to Fratton Park. A few have left the south coast, including Kusini Yengi, Christian Saydee and Paddy Lane.
Oxford finished one place and one point below Portsmouth last season, with Pompey winning this fixture after a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park. In fact, the visitors haven’t lost against the U’s in the last seven meetings, but only their recent victory at Grenoble Road came with more than a one-goal margin.
Predicted line-up: Jamie Cumming, Brodie Spencer, Elliott Moore, Michal Helik, Greg Leigh, Brian De Keersmaecker, Cameron Brannagan, Siriki Dembele, Matt Phillips, Tyler Goodrham, Mark Harris.
Prediction: Oxford United 2-1 Portsmouth
