Oxford United vs Swansea City - prediction, team news, lineups

Two relegation-threatened sides will face off when Oxford United lock horns with Swansea City at the Kassam Stadium on Monday.

The U’s are hovering just above the dotted line, while the Swans are four points better off in 20th place in the Championship table. 

Match preview

Oxford are currently without a permanent manager after dismissing Gary Rowett following a poor run of form that returned just one win from 10 matches (D4, L5).

Interim boss Craig Short took over the reins ahead of Oxford’s Boxing Day clash against Southampton, which produced a dramatic 2-1 victory for the U’s.

Tyler Goodrham saw his opener cancelled out by Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis, before Stanley Mills netted an 89th-minute winner to end Oxford’s four-game winless run.

Oxford’s fifth league win of the season moved them out of the relegation zone, although they are only above Portsmouth on goal difference. 

The U’s will now look to record back-to-back Championship victories for the first time since beating Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers in consecutive games in January.

Oxford will have to end a three-game winless run in meetings with Swansea if they are to finish the calendar year with a victory.

© Imago / PPAUK

Swansea are sitting four points clear of the relegation zone after winning seven, drawing five and losing 11 of their 23 Championship matches this season.

The Swans have won three of their last five matches, with all three of those victories taking place at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Vitor Matos’s charges were unable to take anything from their away clash against leaders Coventry City on Boxing Day, falling to a 1-0 defeat following Ephron Mason-Clark’s first-half effort.

That narrow loss made it five consecutive defeats on the road and extended Swansea’s winless away run to seven matches.

As a result, the Welsh side will be desperate to clinch their first away win since the end of September when they head to the Kassam Stadium on Monday.

The Swans will also be keen to strike first, having netted the opening goal in just two of their 11 Championship away matches.

Oxford United Championship form:

Swansea City Championship form:

Team News

© Imago

Oxford are unable to call upon defender Hidde ter Avest, who has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury.

Captain Cameron Brannagan and winger Matt Phillips are believed to be closing in on a return to action, although Monday’s fixture could come too soon for the pair.

Will Lankshear is pushing for a starting berth after coming off the bench to provide an assist for Mills’s winner on Boxing Day.

Meanwhile, Swansea striker Adam Idah is unlikely to feature after sitting out the defeat to Coventry with a hamstring problem.

Melker Widell and Zeidane Inoussa could earn recalls after coming off the bench to play over half an hour on Boxing Day.

Striker Zan Vipotnik should continue to lead the line, having scored nine goals in 21 appearances this season, including two goals in his last three outings.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Spencer, Helik, Brown, Currie; L. Harris, De Keersmaecker; Placheta, Goodrham, Mills; Lankshear

Swansea City possible starting lineup:

Vigouroux; Galbraith, Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Franco, Stamenic; Ronald, Widell, Inoussa; Vipotnik

We say: Oxford United 2-1 Swansea City

Oxford will have a renewed sense of belief following their Boxing Day win over Southampton, and we think they will back up that result with a successful outing to condemn Swansea to a sixth consecutive away defeat.

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