Fleetwood Town welcome Oxford United to the Highbury Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides head into the latest round of League One matches separated by only goal difference, hoping to take a step closer to the playoff positions rather than looking over their shoulders at the potential of dropping down towards the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Possessing the second-worst home record in the division, with only MK Dons registering fewer points than Fleetwood Town this season, Scott Brown's side have undergone a mini-revival in their last five matches.
Only one position above Oxford, The Fishermen put their most recent three points on the board on the opening day of 2023, as goals from Admiral Muskwe and Promise Omochere, followed by an 89th-minute own goal from Chey Dunkley, saw the visitors emerge victorious over Shrewsbury Town.
Hoping to build on that win, Fleetwood booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday with the scalp of Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers.
Managed by former Celtic luminary Brown, the previous take-no-nonsense midfielder will be buoyed by what he has witnessed in the last couple of matches.
Nonetheless, after registering only two league victories at Highbury Stadium, supporters might not feel as confident as Brown of their side throwing the net over their woeful home form from now until the end of the season.
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Trailing Fleetwood in the League One standings by only a solitary goal, Oxford United have registered one more victory than Fleetwood in the current campaign.
However, Karl Robinson's side have struggled on their expeditions across the third tier of English football, experiencing the taste of victory on their footballing palates only three times across 12 matches.
Hoping to replicate their opponents' notable FA Cup accomplishment, the hosts were swept aside by Premier League leaders Arsenal on Monday evening despite impressing in significant spells of the game.
Undefeated in their last four meetings, Robinson and his players will take their seats on the team bus in a bullish mood to further extend their recent one-sided head-to-head record.
Team News
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After signing on the dotted line at Highbury Stadium following an impressive loan spell at Port Vale, scoring eight goals, Ellis Harrison could be handed his Fleetwood Town debut by Scott Brown at the weekend.
If Brown does decide to name Harrison in his XI, the striker could start with two of either Promise Omochere, Admiral Muskwe or Carlos Mendes Gomes in a familiar 4-3-3 formation for The Fishermen.
With on-loan Leicester City goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk handed the gloves against Queens Park Rangers, regular number one Jay Lynch will likely return in goal on Saturday.
Despite a spirited performance against Arsenal at the beginning of the current week, Oxford United manager Karl Robinson could name an unchanged lineup for the trip to Highbury Stadium.
Similar to their hosts' new signing, Cameron Brannagan has celebrated an enterprising spell in front of goal this season, with eight League One strikes to his name, and is again expected to take his place alongside Lewis Bate and Marcus McGuane in midfield.
Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:
Lynch; Nsiala, Andrew, Sarpong-Wiredu, Johnston; Vela, Warrington, Hayes; Omochere, Muskwe, Harrison
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
McGinty, Anderson, Moore, Long, Brown; Bate, McGuane, Brannagan; Wildschut, Taylor, Goodrham
We say: Fleetwood Town 1-1 Oxford United
After a close encounter between these two at the Kassam Stadium in November last year, in which they shared the spoils of the points, we forecast a similar outcome in Lancashire on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
