Oxford United are set to host Southampton at The Kassam Stadium on Wednesday as both teams continue their preparations ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season.
The hosts have already played five pre-season matches, winning two and losing three, while the visitors have won all of their three friendlies so far.
Match preview
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After being defeated in the 2019-20 League One playoff final by Wycombe Wanderers, Oxford Utd found themselves battling for promotion into the Championship in each of the following two seasons, losing to Blackpool in the 2020-21 semi-finals before missing out on the playoffs altogether by just seven points in 2021-22.
Oxford Utd went into the 2022-23 campaign aiming to once again qualify for the playoff places in search for a chance at promotion to England's second division, but they instead had a catastrophic season that saw them avoid relegation by just two points.
Liam Manning, who guided the side to safety in the closing stages of that campaign, got off to a fantastic start in 2023-24, winning 10 of the opening 15 fixtures before controversially leaving the side to manage Bristol City.
Des Buckingham took over as manager and, despite a challenging start at Oxford Utd where he failed to win his first four matches and secured only six victories in his initial 22 League One games, he led the team to a fifth-place finish.
The U's went on to beat Peterborough United 2-1 over two legs in the semi-finals before defeating Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the final to book their place in the Championship next season, the first time they have been in the second division since 1999.
Buckingham's side have already played five friendlies ahead of their Championship campaign, losing to Academico Viseu FC, Exeter City and Mansfield Town and securing victories against Oxford City and Solihull Moors.
As for Southampton, their 11-season stay in the Premier League came to a disappointing end in 2022-23, finishing bottom of the league with just 25 points from 38 matches.
Former Swansea City manager Russell Martin took charge of Southampton ahead of their Championship campaign, and despite facing rocky spells, including four consecutive losses in September and three successive defeats in April, a phenomenal 25-game unbeaten streak helped the Saints finish in fourth place with 87 points.
Martin's men defeated West Bromwich Albion 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the playoffs before narrowly beating Leeds United in the final, courtesy of Adam Armstrong's 24th-minute strike, to secure their return to the top division.
The Saints have won all three of their pre-season matches so far, beating Eastleigh 7-1, Bordeaux 3-2 and Montpellier 3-1, and Martin will want to continue that positive momentum with a win in this one.
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Team News
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Despite their recent defeat to Mansfield, Oxford United's defensive lineup of Peter Kioso, Ciaron Brown, Elliott Moore, and Joe Bennett could start again here, as that might be the combination named to begin the Championship campaign.
Mark Harris netted 15 times in 43 league appearances last season and is likely to start here, with midfielder Ruben Rodrigues playing just behind the forward.
As for the Saints, Adam Lallana, who returned to the side after departing in 2014, could make his first start since re-joining the club in this match.
Elsewhere, Yukinari Sugawara impressed in his first start and could play in defence alongside Ronnie Edwards, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Charlie Taylor with Alex McCarthy in goal.
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Ingram; Kioso, Brown, Moore, Bennett; Vaulks, Rodrigues, El Mizouni, O'Donkor, Harris, Goodrham
Southampton possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Sugawara, Edwards, Harwood-Bellis, Taylor; Downes, Smallbone; Sulemana, Lallana, Aribo; Mara
We say: Oxford United 1-2 Southampton
Oxford Utd have been far from impressive in their five friendly fixtures to date, while the Saints have secured convincing victories in each of their pre-season matches, suggesting the visitors will win this one.
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Ellis Stevens
