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

Following the postponement of the contest in early January due to a frozen pitch, Sheffield United and Oxford United will square off at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

The visitors sit 23rd in the Championship table and five points adrift of safety, while their hosts remain 17th after a draw at the weekend.

Match preview

Sheffield United return to Championship action on Tuesday in a bid to make it three league games unbeaten and climb towards the top half.

The 2025-26 season has been a disappointing one for the Blades, currently sitting 17th on 36 points from 29 games after reaching last term's playoff final, but they have, at least, been one of the division's form sides in recent months to climb away from the threat of relegation.

Chris Wilder's men sat deep in the bottom three after 15 outings, but they have since picked up eight wins and 26 points from their last 14 games, most recently bouncing back from a pair of defeats.

After seeing their proposed Oxford United game postponed in early January, the Blades went on to suffer three straight losses in all competitions but would bounce back in style, beating third-placed Ipswich Town 3-1 at Bramall Lane thanks to goals from Callum O'Hare, Andre Brooks and Patrick Bamford.

A trip to promotion-chasing Millwall then followed at the weekend, and Wilder's side left with a creditable point from a 1-1 draw thanks to Brooks's opener, and now trailing 16th-placed Leicester City by two points and Stoke City in the top half by six, they will hope to continue climbing towards the right end of the division with a win to complete a double over the visitors.

Their opponents, meanwhile, head to South Yorkshire for the rearranged game in search of a return to winning ways to boost their survival hopes.

From their 29 Championship outings this term, Oxford United have managed just six victories and 27 points, with Matt Bloomfield having arrived to a U's side sat on 22 from 25 games after Gary Rowett's exit and a brief caretaker reign.

He would make a positive start to life in the dugout, overseeing a pair of goalless stalemates against Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers before making it three games unbeaten with an impressive 2-1 away win over Leicester City thanks to goals from Sam Long and Mark Harris.

Aiming to continue their climb towards safety, they hosted Birmingham City at the weekend but fell to a first loss under Bloomfield, as a Myles Peart-Harris own goal and a Marvin Ducksch finish saw the visitors win 2-0.

That setback leaves Oxford United 23rd in England's second tier, five points adrift of safety with a game in hand on 21st-placed West Bromwich Albion, and they will be desperate to bounce back with an important win on Tuesday.

Sheffield United Championship form:

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Sheffield United form (all competitions):

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Oxford United Championship form:

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Oxford United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Sheffield United will remain without Jairo Riedewald and Jamie Shackleton, while Sam McCallum and Tom Davies will also miss out after picking up injuries on Saturday.

Harrison Burrows will take Sam McCallum's spot at the back, while captain and key centre-back Japhet Tanganga is back in contention following a suspension, as are Djibril Soumare and striker Patrick Bamford.

Bamford may come back in from the start to lead the line with support from Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare and Andre Brooks, while Oliver Arblaster and Soumare will compete to join Sydie Peck in midfield in the absence of Jairo Riedewald and Davies.

Oxford have several enforced absences of their own, with Hidde ter Avest, Tyler Goodrham, Jamie Donley and Nik Prelec confined to the treatment room.

Will Lankshear and Przemyslaw Placheta will hope to earn attacking starts, after Mark Harris led the line with support from Myles Peart-Harris and Stanley Mills in Saturday's loss to Birmingham.

January arrival Jamie McDonnell should again partner Cameron Brannagan in the engine room, while Christ Makosso will hope to earn his debut for the U's at the back.

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, McGuinness, Burrows; Arblaster, Peck; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer; Bamford

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Makosso, Davies, Brown; Spencer, McDonnell, Brannagan, Placheta; Peart-Harris, Mills; Lankshear

We say: Sheffield United 2-0 Oxford United

After an encouraging start to life under Matt Bloomfield, Oxford United were well beaten and may fall short in a tough trip to a Sheffield United side unbeaten in seven home league games and growing in confidence.

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