Oxford United head into the international break having picked up their first win in ten with a 1-0 victory over Watford.
The three points, alongside a clean sheet, will be a massive boost for Gary Rowett as he prepares his squad for the final eight games of the season.
What Oxford United Need to Do After the International Break
Home Form
Oxford’s home form has kept them at a respectable position in the Championship, with 32 of their 42 points coming at Grenoble Road.
However, Rowett’s side returned from the international break with four tricky home ties, beginning with the visit of joint-leaders, Sheffield United.
The U’s also welcome QPR before ending the campaign with the arrival of Leeds and Sunderland, respectively.
Realistically, Oxford can pick up points from these games but they may be more reliant on picking up points on the road in the upcoming fixtures.
Away Form
Oxford’s away form isn’t great and they return from the international break with a trip to Middlesbrough.
Michael Carrick’s side are inconsistent at the moment and have lost two of their last four games at the Riverside.
The U’s are one of just two teams to have picked up a solitary win on their travels so with four away games remaining, it could be the away form that keeps them up. However, to do so, they need to pick up some vital points.
Injuries
Rowett will be hoping to see some faces return from injury after the international break to help with the final run of fixtures.
Tom Bradshaw appears to be the closest to a return with the January signing missing the last seven games through injury.
The U’s will also be boosted by the return of two left-backs in Greg Leigh and Joe Bennett who look set to battle for the role in the final eight games of the campaign.
No time has been set on a return for Elliott Moore and the U’s head coach will be hoping that all five players away with their respective countries come back to the club unscathed.
Attacking Areas
The return of Bradshaw will help Oxford in the attacking areas, which is where the U’s have struggled in recent weeks.
Rowett’s side have found the net just six times in their last ten games, conceding in seven. With a record like that, picking up points will be hard to come by.
The return from illness for Tyler Goodrham will also help, while Rowett will be hoping the likes of Ole Romeny, Siriki Dembele, and Przemyslaw Placheta can start to find the net on a consistent basis, as is the case with striker Mark Harris.
