Preview: Oxford United vs Southampton - prediction, team news, lineups

Southampton will travel to the Kassam Stadium for their Championship meeting with managerless Oxford United on Boxing Day.

The Saints head into Friday's fixture in 11th spot in the Championship table, while the U's are languishing in the relegation zone.

Match preview

Oxford are sitting two points adrift of safety after winning four, drawing seven and losing 11 of their 22 league matches this season.

The U's have lost three of their previous four matches (D1), including narrow defeats in their last two outings against Preston North End and Charlton Athletic.

The recent 1-0 loss to Charlton at The Valley proved to be the final straw for the Oxford hierarchy, who decided to sack Gary Rowett following a return of just one win from the last 10 matches (D4, L5).

While the search is underway for Rowett's successor, Craig Short will oversee first-team duties for Friday's tricky home game against Southampton, with the U's looking to claim their first win since beating Ipswich Town at the end of last month.

Oxford will be keen to improve both ends of the pitch, having failed to score in three of their last four games and gone 12 consecutive matches without a clean sheet.

The U's may be winless in six games against Southampton, but that record counts for very little considering this will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides since 1996.

Southampton head into Boxing Day with a four-point deficit to the top six, having won eight, drawn seven and lost seven of their 22 league matches this season.

The Saints have taken just one point from two matches since recording back-to-back home victories over Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion.

Tonda Eckert's side fell to a narrow 2-1 loss against Norwich City at Carrow Road, before they played out a 1-1 draw in Saturday's home meeting with 10-man Coventry City last weekend.

While the Saints were able to take three points off the league leaders, Nathan Wood's equaliser made it five consecutive home games without defeat since losing to Preston North End at the start of November (W4, D1).

Southampton will be keen to replicate that sort of form on the road, considering they have lost four of their previous six away games (W2).

They have also shipped 20 goals across their 11 league road trips and are one of two teams yet to record an away clean sheet in the Championship this season, highlighting a key area for improvement if they are to start regularly picking up positive results on their travels.

Oxford United Championship form:

D W L D L L

Southampton Championship form:

W L W W L L

Team News

Oxford captain Cameron Brannagan remains unavailable for selection, having missed the last six matches with a calf injury.

Matt Phillips is believed to be closing in on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready in time for the visit of Southampton.

Stanley Mills, Luke Harris and Przemyslaw Placheta are among those pushing to start the Boxing Day fixture.

As for the Saints, they are expected to be without Mads Roerslev, Elias Jelert, Shea Charles, Damion Downs and Ross Stewart.

Tom Fellows is in contention to start at the Kassam Stadium after returning from a one-game injury absence to feature as a subsitute against Coventry.

Forward Adam Armstrong will continue to offer one of the visitors' main attacking threats, having scored 11 and provided four assists in 22 Championship matches this term.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Spencer, Helik, Brown, Leigh; Vaulks, De Keersmaecker; Mills, L. Harris, Placheta; M. Harris

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Quarshie; Fellows, Downes, Jander, Manning; Azaz, Scienza; Armstrong

We say: Oxford United 1-3 Southampton

Southampton may have only taken a point from their last two games, but they should fancy their chances of returning to winning ways against an Oxford side low on confidence and without a permanent manager at the helm.

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