Oxford United look to make it eight wins on the bounce against managerless Fleetwood Town

Karl Robinson’s Oxford United are League One’s in-form side. After a thrilling 4-3 win away at Rochdale in midweek, the U’s are seeking to close the gap on the top six against Fleetwood Town – a side that they’ve never beaten.

Only three points separate Oxford United and Fleetwood Town. However, the League One table portrays a false reality. Despite a slow start to the season, Oxford have been duly rewarded for keeping faith in manager Karl Robinson, with the U’s on a seven game winning streak – their best since 1994 – and well ahead of Fleetwood in terms of form.

Like Oxford, Fleetwood made the Play-Offs last season via the controversial PPG model that the League One season was ended on. However, the Fishermen were quicker to pull the plug on manager Joey Barton than Oxford were on Robinson, despite neither team hitting the heights they did last year so far. Barton departed Fleetwood on January 4th with the side tenth in League One. At the same point in the season, Oxford sat 15th.

Since Fleetwood caretaker manager Simon Wiles took over, they’ve dropped below Oxford into 14th, whilst Oxford themselves now occupy the spot just below the one Fleetwood did upon Barton’s sacking (11th).

Oxford’s seven game winning streak does include a Papa John’s Trophy victory against Cambridge United (the fixture itself a contender for the most ‘academic’ game in football). However, this isn’t anything to take away from the U’s, who have been in scintillating form in front of goal since the run began – scoring 20 goals in their last six league games.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, are winless in their last seven league games; their last three points coming away at Swindon on December 12th.

However, caretaker boss Simon Wiles has acknowledged that the Fishermen have looked a little more defensively sound in recent matches – notably in their 0-0 draw with Northampton Town on January 26th – and has spoken of the platform that this solidity has given Fleetwood.

‘I think the positives are that we have again got another clean sheet, we constantly talk about these building blocks that we are creating… I’ll have a much bigger smile on my face when we get that first three points, that’s two clean sheets in a row and it gives us a good platform to build on’ – Simon Wiles via Fleetwood Town FC.

Whilst Fleetwood’s most recent result was a somewhat drab, goalless affair, Oxford United came out winners in a seven-goal thriller against Rochdale last time out. A ping-pong, goal ridden game was topped off by a 92nd minute winner by Olamide Shodipo, handing the U’s all three points.

Credit – Richard Parkes via Oxford Mail

Oxford will be clear favourites to do a job on Saturday, but Fleetwood’s resolute defending in their last two outings may prove crucial. The stats are firmly stacked in Oxford’s favour (a 1.70PPG at home vs Fleetwood’s 1.00PPG away), but if the Fishermen can keep the U’s quiet for large periods of the game, it will only take a proverbial ‘deflection off the knee’ to record the points for Fleetwood.

Team News:

The home side will be without on-loan midfielder Marcus McGuane, as well as stalwart defender John Mousinho. Fleetwood, meanwhile, will definitely miss veteran midfielder Glenn Wheelan. Boss Simon Wiles is waiting upon fitness test results for Charlie Mulgrew and Sam Wiles, who may be available on Saturday.

Head to Head:

As a matter of fact, Oxford United have never beaten Fleetwood. In the 12 times they’ve met, Fleetwood have won 10 and there have been 2 draws. However, this could easily change on Saturday.