Oxford United

"Being 1-0 up at home to the top of the league in a game with massive significance is what it's all about - but that doesn't mean that, during the second half, I didn't basically spend the whole time feeling physically sick and not enjoying a second of it until the final whistle was blown."

Robyn Cowen and Jerome Sale are joined by former Oxford United defender Ben Purkiss and podcaster George Elek to discuss the U's stunning win over title-chasing Sheffield United, the quality of goalkeeper Jamie Cumming and the weapon that is the long throw as Oxford continue to fight to stay in the Championship.

Was it completely unexpected? Or was this a typical Oxford home performance that's paid off against a Sheffield United side lacking that moment of magic?

Includes interviews with Blades boss Chris Wilder and U's midfielder Cameron Brannagan.

Listen to the full episode and more on The Dub podcast.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett praised his side for taking the fight to Sheffield United in their 1-0 victory at the Kassam Stadium.

Siriki Dembele scored the only goal to blunt the Blades' promotion charge and ease Oxford's own relegation fears.

Rowett said his side deserved the win because of the battling qualities they showed.

"From the word go, we looked on it today," he told BBC Radio Oxford.

"We had to make it a little scruffy, we had to make it into a fight, but we know how good a side they are.

"One thing that did help, I thought the atmosphere was brilliant from the start, and that made such a massive difference to me, the staff and the players."

The U's are now four points clear of danger but Rowett said they must continue to perform.

"It's nowhere near job done, but it gives us a fantastic opportunity to go again on Wednesday against QPR who are fighting for their own points, but we've got to enjoy the performance and the desire of today.

"You've got to dig in, do whatever it takes to get the three points, and then put your feet up and watch whatever it is you like on a Saturday night."

Dan George
BBC Sport, South

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett has called for his players to "step up" as they approach the final Championship games of the season.

With relegation rivals Luton Town unbeaten in their past three matches, and Derby County winning each of their past four, the U's have slipped to within two points of the bottom three after just one win in eleven.

In their remaining seven games they face three of the league's top four at the Kassam Stadium.

"We know we have some really tough games at home and it's important we step up." Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"The crowd have been brilliant recently and that is something we have to utilise through these last matches.

"If we maintain the form we have shown so far then the home games will be enough to get us through."

On Saturday, Oxford will take on league leaders Sheffield United, who have the best away record in the division.

The Blades have won 12 and lost three matches on the road this campaign.

Oxford were beaten 3-0 at Bramall Lane in the reverse fixture in November, as Chris Wilder's side made it seven wins in a row at home without conceding a single goal.

Coming into this game, Sheffield United have won each of their past six away league games – they have never previously won seven in a row on the road.

"The players know that when you come up against these sort of teams you have to do a little bit more," Rowett added.

"You can do more and still get punished though because these teams have such quality.

"But you can pick a few times in the season when these top teams don't have the level of performance needed on the day and that's when you have to capitalise."

Championship leaders Sheffield United could find themselves out of the automatic promotion places by the time they kick-off at Oxford United on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Blades have a two-point lead over Leeds and Burnley with seven games remaining but both the Whites and Clarets play at 12:30 BST, visiting Luton and Coventry respectively.

After a bright start under Gary Rowett, the U's have hit the skids, winning just one of their past 11 games, though that did come in their last home game, beating Watford 1-0.

Chris Wilder's side have won six straight away games, all by the odd goal, which is their best run on the road in 132 years.

• Oxford United have lost nine of their past 10 games in all competitions against Sheffield United (W1), including a 3-0 defeat earlier this season.

• This is Sheffield United's first league visit to Oxford since March 2017 in League One, winning 3-2 with two goals from Billy Sharp and one from Kieron Freeman.

• Oxford have won one of their past 11 league matches (D4 L6), having won five of their previous seven matches beforehand.

• Sheffield United have won each of their past six away league games – they've never previously won seven in a row on the road (also six in the 1892-93 season).

• Rhian Brewster has scored in each of his past two Championship appearances for Sheffield United – he's never scored three in games in a row in his league career.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett is hopeful midfielder Cameron Brannagan will be available to face Sheffield United on Saturday.

The 28-year-old missed Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough because of a knee injury.

"He's had a problem with a ligament in his knee where it's been a little bit sore and he felt it again on Thursday so we felt we couldn't take the risk with him with seven games to go, two at home in particular," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"He's seen a specialist so hopefully it's not bad news and he should be available for the next game."

Oxford have managed just one win from their past 11 Championship matches and are four points above the relegation zone with Rowett bemoaning injuries.

"We've found in this last 10 games we've had to patch up late in the week and even during games when we find a formation, someone goes down and that formation is difficult to play so we have to try to grind our way through it," he said.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United forward Tom Bradshaw is set to return from injury for their Championship match at Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Wales striker has been out since picking up a knee injury in training at the start of February.

"Bradders has been back in training so he'll be available for the game," boss Gary Rowett said.

The U's have won just one of their past 10 league games to slip within four points of the relegation zone.

Oxford captain Elliott Moore, however, remains sidelined with a hamstring injury he sustained against Hull City earlier this month.

"Elliott will be ruled out - it's going to be a while before he comes back in and he's not one we're thinking of any time soon," added Rowett.

Oxford United will look to continue their bounce back against play off chasing Middlesbrough at Riverside on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The U's ended a poor run on nine winless games (W5 D4) with a victory over Watford prior to the international break and will be looking to disrupt yet another top six chaser in Boro.

Though the Teesside club will feel victory is a must, having already dropped three points off the pace of the promotion hunting pack and could risk falling further away with the three teams above (Bristol City, West Bromwich Albion, Coventry City) all finding themselves in fine form.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten across their last nine league games against Oxford United (W7 D2), since a 3-1 defeat in February 1990.

• Oxford United have lost 10 of their 13 away league games against Middlesbrough (W2 D1), scoring just eight goals in total across that time.

• After winning each of their last two home league games, Middlesbrough will be looking to win three in succession at the Riverside Stadium for the first time since October 2023.

• Oxford have won just one of their last 10 league games (D4 L5), though that sole victory did come in their last fixture, a 1-0 home win against Watford.

• No player has provided more assists in the Championship this season than Middlesbrough Finn Azaz (11), whilst in the reverse fixture against Oxford, he recorded four goal contributions in total (2 goals, 2 assists) – his most in a league match during his career so far.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United will have to take a view on whether Ole Romeny can start their Championship match at Middlesbrough on Saturday, says boss Gary Rowett.

The forward has returned from making his international debut for Indonesia in two World Cup qualifiers - scoring in a 5-1 defeat by Australia and notching the winner in their 1-0 victory over Bahrain alongside Oxford team-mate Marselino Ferdinan.

Meanwhile defender Ciaron Brown featured for Northern Ireland in friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden.

"There is only Browny who played the two 90 minutes. He's pretty resilient and we've looked after him so we don't expect any challenges with that one," Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Ole and Marselino coming back from Indoniesia will be a little more of a challenge due to the distance and the fact they were in Australia for one game and Indonesia for the second one.

"Sometimes it's difficult to come back from that sort of journey and expect to start a game but we'll see what part we think any of those players can play."

Oxford have just one victory from their past 10 Championship matches and are four points clear of the relegation zone.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United forward Ole Romeny has scored on his debut for international side Indonesia during their World Cup qualifier against Australia.

The 24-year-old earned his maiden senior international call-up after joining the U's in the January transfer window from Dutch side FC Utrecht, scoring once in his nine Championship appearances.

The goal was nothing more than a consolation, having already conceded four before the Socceroo's Jackson Irvine slotted home a fifth in the 90th minute for an Australian victory.

Netherlands-born Romeny qualifies for Indonesia through his maternal grandmother and attained citizenship for the south-east Asian country in February.

He was joined in the starting XI by fellow Oxford team-mate Marselino Ferdinan who played 79 minutes at Sydney's Allianz Stadium.

Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford's Oxford United commentator

Image source, PA Media

And then there were eight. A year ago it looked like Oxford United were going nowhere in League One, but their final eight games of the season produced five wins and two draws and helped them sneak into the play-offs.

And here we are, in what feels like a matter of moments later and there are just eight games left in the Championship season. And the prize to play for is exactly the same as this time last year – the right to operate in the second tier of English football.

This business end of the season can mess with your head. Everything is exaggerated, but it is particularly easy to catastrophise any result – yours or your rival's.

Last season United took just a point from their final two home games and fell out of the play-off places. The sky was falling in. Except it turned out it wasn't.

The three matches before this international break sums the current situation up. Quiet satisfaction after a draw at Norwich. Doom and gloom after a lead was thrown away in the defeat at Hull, and then belief restored following the win over Watford. It's how we roll. It is the Oxford rollercoaster - the previous 12 months in microcosm.

Oxford started the season so well, but faded as the leaves started to fall. They changed their manager and Gary Rowett made a stunning start, but that fizzled out.

If Oxford did succumb to relegation, they would go back to League One so much more credible a club than they were a year ago, but the U's ownership, with their actions, have made it clear just how much staying up means to them. For the team, for the club, for the new stadium project, it feels so valuable.

If United are to achieve their goal of Championship survival, cool heads will be the order of the day. Rowett has not had it all his own way in recent weeks, but if anyone can strip out the emotion of the run-in in this division it is "Mr Championship Manager" himself.

From here, Oxford need to average a point a game, maybe less. They have a tricky-looking fixture list to negotiate, but as the final day of last season proved, even the top teams in a division can mess things up as the finish line gets closer.

Fans may be plotting where the required points will come from, but I guarantee Oxford will get something from a game or two they are given no hope in, but the reverse is also true.

Supporters at the Watford game - yet another sell-out - produced the sort of positive atmosphere that fuelled last season's play-off success, and why not? As I said the same prize is at stake and, however hard, achieving it is more likely than promotion looked at the end of March 2024.

With players coming back from injury and with improved potency in their attacks in recent games, there is reason for optimism at the Kassam Stadium.

Of course, life could be made easier if teams beneath them in the Championship table run into trouble, but Oxford are four points clear of the drop zone. It is in their hands - and that is a situation they would have gladly accepted before a ball was kicked.

Listen to the latest episode of BBC Radio Oxford's "The Dub" podcast on BBC Sounds.

The team discuss Saturday's crucial 1-0 victory against Watford at the Kassam Stadium, the U's first league win in 10 matches.

Listen above or click here, make sure to subscribe and download your favourite episodes.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United winger Siriki Dembele has labelled his side's 1-0 victory against Watford on Saturday a "big" moment in their battle to beat the drop.

The 28-year-old's late winner, his first goal for the club since joining from Birmingham City in the summer, was enough to end the U's nine-game winless run.

"We played a top side and given the other results as well - it's a big win," Dembele told BBC Radio Oxford.

After not scoring in his previous 21 Championship outings for Gary Rowett's men, the winger said his lack of form in front of goal has not affected his confidence in his overall game.

"It doesn't bother me [when not scoring or assisting] - when it's going like that I want to continue because if you shy away, there is no point," he added.

"It's been a little bit different here and sometimes you go through a period where you don't score or assist but the most important thing for me is performances because when you perform well, it gives you the best chance as a team to win."

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United boss Gary Rowett has been speaking to BBC Radio Oxford after the U's ended a nine-game winless run in the Championship with a 1-0 victory over Watford in tough conditions.

"It was a difficult game, not only the opposition but a bit of a swirling wind," he said.

"It helped us to press them, it helped us to stop any rhythm particularly early on but we never seemed to build any real momentum.

"I was pleased that we found a way today, I think that was the most important thing. We found a way to win the game.

"It was a great strike from Dems [Siriki Dembele]. Just before the red card [for Abankwah], I was about to take him off so what do I know? But he came up with the goods.

"I spoke to him a little bit about that recently, just adding goals, being a little bit more selfish in that final third area, so I was really pleased he did that today."

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United captain Elliott Moore will be out for "a matter of weeks" because of a hamstring injury.

The defender had to go off in the second half of their 2-1 defeat by Hull City on Tuesday, while midfielder Cameron Brannagan is also doubtful for Saturday's meeting with Watford having missed the game on Humberside because of a knee issue.

"Elliott's certainly out for a period - when you go down in the way he did holding his hamstring you expect that to be a matter of weeks rather than days, but we haven't quite got the results from his scan," U's boss Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Cameron's not quite so serious but will certainly be a huge doubt for the game."

Oxford have failed to win any of their past nine league matches to slip within four points of the Championship relegation zone but Rowett says they're not the only club affected by injuries.

"If you look at the team and squad we had when we came in and the players we've added we've obviously had some key injuries," he said.

"I heard a press conference with (Watford boss) Tom Cleverley talking about the injuries they've got and every manager will say the same, so it's not an excuse, it's just something you have to manage and find a solution."

Oxford United have failed to win any of their past nine league games as they prepare to face Watford on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Watford have won three of their past five Championship matches, leaving them four points short of the play-off places.

• Oxford have won just two of the past 27 games between the two sides in all competitions (D12 L13) and are winless in their last seven against the Hornets (D2 L5).

• Watford are unbeaten in their past 15 away games in all competitions against Oxford (W5 D10) - this is their first visit to the U's since a 1-1 League Cup draw in September 2020.

• Oxford have lost their past two home league games, they haven't lost more consecutively since a five-game losing run in February and March 2023.

• Watford have kept a clean sheet in their last two away league matches; the Hornets have not kept three clean sheets in a row since January and February 2021.

• Oxford boss Gary Rowett has won his past two league meetings with Watford, beating them 3-0 at home and 2-0 away in 2022-23 when he was in charge at Millwall.