Opposition Lowdown: Sunderland AFC vs Oxford United

Ahead of Saturday’s home fixture against Oxford United we chat to Liam Rice, Sports Reporter for the Oxford Mail, to get all the opposition lowdown on the ‘U’s.

F1879: So far this season Oxford United have won three, drawn five and lost three, suggesting that while victories have not been as regular as they may have liked – given the number of draws – The Yellows put up a solid fight during the 90mins.  Over the longer term, how do you see their campaign going?

LR: So far, it’s been a fantastic start for an Oxford United playing in the second tier for the first time in 25 years. Staying up was the primary aim before a ball was kicked, and despite sitting in a mid-table position after 11 games, remaining in the division is still the first objective. They’ve drawn five games on the trot, and turning some of those points into wins would’ve been nice of course, but it’s still been a hugely encouraging start for United.

F1879: Since his arrival in November 2023. manager Des Buckingham has a 43.2 win % and secured Championship football for the team via the play-offs after 25 years out of the second tier. We assume he’s currently a popular figure amongst supporters, can you tell us a little bit about the mood music on the terraces around supporter expectations and their relationship with Buckingham?

LR: Des Buckingham is the local boy done good. He grew up a stone’s throw from the current training ground, and knows what’s it’s like to be an Oxford local. Although when he first arrived, results took a while to get going, since then, the journey has been outstanding. Last season with that historic promotion at Wembley, and the way Buckingham has made United a competitive team in the Championship so far, means he can quite literally do wrong.

 

F1879: Buckingham said recently “My job is to try and create a brand of football that the people of Oxford can be proud of. It’s taken a bit of time, but we’re starting to see those roots and shoots that have been laid down over the last couple of months.”  How do you see that brand of football evolving now i.e what style of play does Buckingham currently deploy in the Championship?

LR: The U’s are quite varied in their style. At home, they’re more on the front foot, compared to when they’re on the road. But the principles remain the same. It’s possession football and controlling the ball as much as they can, but not passing for the sake of it. They’ll try and go more direct with longer balls into the channels or down the sides of defences, in addition to short midfield passes.

F1879: What formation/tactics do you think Buckingham will use against Sunderland?

LR: The formation will almost certainly be 4-3-3. The back four is pretty flat, and the full backs don’t tend to bomb on. The midfield has one holder and then two attacking number 10s, while the wingers tend to stay high and wide, either side of a sole central striker.

F1879: Who do you think will be in Oxford United’s starting XI?

LR: Jamie Cumming is the number one keeper, while the back four will likely see from right to left Peter Kioso, Elliott Moore, Ben Nelson and Ciaron Brown. I think Josh McEachran will occupy the holding midfield role, with Idris El Mizouni and Louie Sibley in front of him. Siriki Dembele picked up an ankle injury in midweek, so we might see Owen Dale and Tyler Goodrham on the wings, with Dane Scarlett retaining his spot up front.

F1879: Who have been the standout players so far this season for The Yellows and which ones should Sunderland be most concerned about?

LR: Across the whole season, the standout player so far has probably been Tyler Goodrham. He’s a wonderful young footballer who can play in midfield or out wide. It was in midfield where he excelled last season, having played as a winger up until that point. But injuries this season mean Goodrham has moved back out wide. Goodrham has a brilliant football brain, a sensational low centre of gravity and can produce moments out of nothing. Other key players are goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, and the current centre back pairing of Elliott Moore and Ben Nelson.

F1879: Which Sunderland player do you think Oxford fans will be most concerned about going into match?

LR: One player I’m excited to see is Jobe Bellingham. His brother is a household name and has gone on such an incredible rise, but it looks like Jobe has all the potential to be a great player in his own right. How he gets on against United’s midfield will be interesting this weekend.

 

F1879: Which specific Oxford player do you think Sunderland should be most worried about at the weekend any why?

LR: Dane Scarlett grabbed a stoppage time leveller against West Brom, and then backed that up with the opener against Derby County on his first U’s league start in midweek. His confidence should be sky high.

F1879: Where do you predict Sunderland and Oxford United will finish in the league?

LR: At this point in the season, it’s hard to see Sunderland not being in the top six at the end of the campaign. They look the team to beat, and I suspect they’ll be in the running for automatics. As for United, mid-table to lower mid-table would be great, and where I see them finishing.

F1879: What is your score prediction for the clash against the Black Cats?

LR: It’s going to be a huge challenge for the U’s to get a result at Sunderland. I wouldn’t be completely surprised though if United battle for a point. If head ruled over heart though, the Black Cats are the favourites, and may edge it 2-1. It should be a competitive game though.

Thanks to Liam. Follow him on X

Feature photo via Mike Allen, Oxford Mail.

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