Preview: Carlisle United vs. Oxford United - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams at opposing ends of the League One table will meet this Saturday as Carlisle United's quest to survive relegation meets its latest test in Oxford United.

Three points are equally as important for the visitors in this match as they look to maintain their position in the playoffs, while also placing pressure on those above them.

Match preview

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Carlisle's return to League One has proven to be a difficult one so far, with the team only managing four victories in 26 games, leaving the club in the relegation zone.

However, the Blues have been slightly stronger in their home fixtures this season as they have managed to win three of their matches at Brunton Park.

One of those took place in their most recent match at home where Paul Simpson's men showcased resilience as they fought from behind to defeat Port Vale, with two goals in the final 15 minutes of the match securing the 2-1 win.

Carlisle have got a lot of buzz around them at the moment following their new ownership, and they have wasted no time in giving Simpson the tools he requires to try and keep the club afloat in League Two.

With four new faces already in the door since the January transfer market opened, the Blues' squad has had a real injection of quality which could be crucial in their bid to survive this season.

However, Carlisle will need to put together a stronger performance than their most recent outing, when James Butterfield's 88th-minute goal proved to be too little too late as Exeter City beat them 2-1.

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The visitors might have won their most recent League Two fixture against Charlton Athletic, but that has been followed up by consecutive defeats in cup competitions.

Oxford were soundly beaten 6-2 in the FA Cup third round by Coventry City, and they were unable to respond to that against AFC Wimbledon in midweek.

The two teams met in the Football League Trophy, with the U's coming up short again with a 2-0 loss, which the fans will now want to see a reaction to.

Des Buckingham's men have been offensively strong this season, scoring 49 goals so far, but at the back, no team in the top seven has conceded more than them.

The defensive side of the game is something Oxford will need to focus on, especially since another loss this weekend could lead to the U's falling out of the playoff positions.

Team News

Simpson welcomed shot-stopper Harry Lewis to the club in midweek from Bradford City, and it is expected that the 26-year-old will walk straight into the starting lineup this weekend.

Several of the other January signings have already made their debuts for the Blues, with Luke Armstrong and Harrison Neal expected to keep their places in the team, while Sean Grehan could be brought in following his loan move from Crystal Palace.

The visitors have also been active in the transfer market so far as Jamie Cumming and Tyler Burey have both joined the club, and could be in line to make their debuts on Saturday.

The U's will also be boosted by the return of Greg Leigh this weekend, as Buckingham has confirmed that he will be making the trip to Brunton Park, and therefore will at least be in the matchday squad.

The fixture against Carlisle will come too soon for Josh Murphy, Sam Long and Stephan Negru, but all three are expected to be involved in the following game against Northampton Town.

Carlisle United possible starting lineup:

Lewis; Barclay, Lavelle, Mellish; Emmanuel, Neal, Charters, Gibson, Robinson; Armstrong, Maguire

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Smyth, Thorniley, Brown; Mills, Gorrin, McEachran, Bennett; Henry, Goodrham; O'Donkor

We say: Carlisle United 1-2 Oxford United

Carlisle have plenty of new faces in the squad at the moment which should provide the team with additional quality to cause problems this weekend.

However, bedding several new players in at once is no easy feat, which could be the advantage that Oxford need to take three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.