Oxford United welcome West Brom this weekend in what is a must-win game for both relegation-threatened clubs.
The U’s have picked up vital points on the road at Coventry and Middlesbrough in recent weeks but damaging defeats at the hands of Norwich and, most recently, Stoke have left Matt Bloomfield’s side six points from safety.
Oxford United Welcome West Brom
Team News, Form and Predicted Line-Up
Sitting just outside the bottom three are the Baggies. They dismissed Eric Ramsay after just 44 days in charge having failed to win in nine games. The West Midlands club drew at home against Charlton on Tuesday night but are without victory in their last 11 games in all competitions and are without a win on the road since October.
The U’s have been dealt further injury blows with Brian De Keersmaecker having been ruled out for the season. Fellow midfielder Cameron Brannagan is also a doubt but Jamie Donley could return.
Chris Mepham, Karlan Grant, Josh Griffiths and Tammer Bany are all sidelined for the visiting side.
Spurs loanee Will Lankshear is Oxford’s top scorer with six league goals but the forward hasn’t found the net in eight league games. In fact, the U’s have only scored four times in those eight fixtures.
Baggies midfielder Isaac Price also has six league goals while striker Aune Heggebø has eight, but he hasn’t scored since a Championship win against Sheffield United back in December.
West Brom won the reverse fixture at the Hawthorns and have an unbeaten record in their last five meetings against the U’s. Their last visit to Grenoble Road ended in a 1-1 draw.
Matt Bloomfield has only faced the Baggies once as a head coach and it came last season when his Luton side lost 5-3 at the Hawthorns.
Oxford United Predicted Line-Up
Jamie Cumming
Sam Long
Christ Makosso
Ciaron Brown
Jack Currie
Will Vaulks
Yunus Konak
Stan Mills
Jamie Donley
Myles Peart-Harris
Will Lankshear
Prediction: Oxford United 1-0 West Brom
Featured image courtesy of SmartFrame/News Images
