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

Wrexham make the trip to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford United on Tuesday evening looking for the win that will keep their promotion dream very much alive.

At a time when the visitors sit in seventh position in the Championship table, Oxford are in 22nd spot and in desperate need of maximum points.

Match preview

After back-to-back defeats to Southampton and Birmingham City, there was a feeling that Wrexham may have blown their playoff chances.

However, Saturday's 2-0 win over Stoke City has moved Phil Parkinson's side to within two points of sixth-placed Hull City.

Having conceded 13 goals across five matches, the shutout against the Potters was also a welcome boost at a time when Wrexham now possess a +1 better goal difference than the team directly above them.

With Coventry City and Middlesbrough still to come, Parkinson knows that facing the 22nd-placed team in the division is their best chance, on paper at least, to get three points on the board.

Wrexham remain with just six defeats in 21 away matches, yet they have only prevailed in one of their last four such encounters.

Meanwhile, Oxford welcome the Red Dragons to the Kassam Stadium having won just one of their most recent six fixtures.

That was a 2-0 victory over Watford on April 11, but that was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Derby County.

While they wait to discover whether West Bromwich Albion will be handed a points deduction for an alleged breach of financial regulations, Oxford sit five points adrift of safety with three games left.

Despite possessing the third-worst home record in the division, Oxford have collected 11 points from their last five games at the Kassam Stadium.

Furthermore, Matt Bloomfield's side have conceded just three goals across those encounters.

Oxford United Championship form:

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Wrexham Championship form:

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Team News

Despite defeat at Pride Park, Bloomfield may not make wholesale changes to his Oxford XI.

Will Vaulks and Mark Harris are alternatives in midfield and attack respectively, but Przemyslaw Placheta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Josh Windass and Sam Smith seem likely to start in attack for Wrexham after Parkinson switched to a front two versus Stoke.

Although there will be a temptation to introduce fresh legs, Lewis O'Brien, Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore may all remain on the substitutes' bench.

Goalkeeper Danny Ward will keep his place between the sticks, but Liberato Cacace and Ben Sheaf remain sidelined through injury.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Long, Helik, Brown, Spencer; Konak, Brannagan; Mills, Donley, Peart-Harris; Lankshear

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Ward; Hyam, Scarr, Doyle; Kabore, Dobson, James, Rathbone, Thomason; Smith, Windass

We say: Oxford United 1-2 Wrexham

Given the high stakes concerning both clubs, nerves could be on show at the Kassam Stadium. While we feel that Oxford will be competitive throughout, Wrexham's superior attacking quality could prove decisive.

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