Can Oxford United keep up their red hot form against strugglers Northampton Town?

Photo Credit: Oxford Mail
Oxford winning 4-0 earlier this season against the Cobblers.

Northampton Town have been below par his season which has seen them lurking around the relegation zone. Joining them were Oxford United but five wins on the bounce shot the Yellows into mid-table.

Oxford United have been in fine form since the last two teams played each other. The U’s were lurking around the drop before Christmas but a pick-up in form shoots the Yellows up the table.

The two teams faced each other just before Christmas where Karl Robinson’s men came out on top emphatically winning 4-0. This sparked a run of form for Oxford who have not lost a game since that meeting.

Last time out for the U’s, they were able to knock Cambridge United out of the Papa John’s Trophy with a 1-0 victory which has seen them progress into the next round.

Northampton’s form has been up and down as of late. After back to back 4-0 defeats, the Cobblers went on to beat Gillingham and also draw to promotion hopeful Sunderland. They were knocked out of the Papa John’s Trophy after losing 2-0 to MK Dons.

Keith Curle’s troops will be looking to pick up points in what is a busy and hard January for them still needing to play Lincoln, Fleetwood, Wigan and Blackpool. Northampton will certainly be relying on key players Shaun Mcwilliams and Alan Sheehan to help them get through these tough set of fixtures.

The two sides have faced each other 35 times with most recent as previously mentioned, a 4-0 win to Oxford United. Northampton have more wins in this fixture with 16 wins compared to Oxford’s 15. Oxford currently sit only five points outside the Play-Offs and will look at this as another opportunity for three points.

Oxford will be relying on Matty Taylor for the goals. The 30-year-old currently has nine to his name with two coming against the Cobblers last time the two sides faced. The prolific striker will be hoping to get double figures for the season and is certainly on track too and could achieve this on Saturday.

With the January transfer window now open, Northampton added to their squad on Thursday with the addition of Mickel Miller on loan until the end of the season. The former Hamilton Academical player has been in and out of the squad at Rotherham and sees this as an opportunity to get more game time. 

This will be a tight encounter for both sides as on one end Oxford look to get closer to the Play-Offs and Curle’s men look to get to the 50 point survival mark.

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