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Oxford lock horns with Preston in the fourth round of games in the EFL Championship on Saturday. Both teams have won just once in their opening three matches.
Des Buckingham's Oxford are coming off a 1-0 EFL Cup second-round loss at Coventry City in midweek. Brandon Thomas-Asante's 57th-minute strike proved enough to sink the U' Yellows, who have now lost three on the trot across competitions.
In their previous Championship outing, Oxford lost 2-1 at Blackburn Rovers, with Mark Harris' first-half opener getting canceled out by Joe Rankin-Costello before Arnor Sigurdsson bagged an 83rd-minute winner. That left Buckingham's side 12th in the standings with three points.
Meanwhile, Paul Heckingbottom's Preston are riding a two-game winning streak across competitions after blanking Harrogate Town 5-0 away in the EFL Cup second round, with Milutin Osmajic starring with a hat-trick.
That followed a 1-0 home win over Luton Town in the Championship, where Will Keane scored a 39th-minute winner, propelling the Lilywhites to 18th in the standings with their first league victory of the season.
On that note, here's a look at the head-to-head and key stats, match prediction, and betting tips for the Oxford-Preston Championship game at the Kassam Stadium.
Oxford vs Preston head-to-head and key stats
- In 25 games across competitions, Oxford lead Preston 12-9, but the Lilywhites won their last meeting 3-1 at home in League Two in March 2000.
- Oxford have five wins in their last 10 meetings with Preston, losing four, including the last two.
- The U'Yellows are unbeaten in five home games across competitions since last season, winning four.
- Preston are winless in six road outings, losing five, including the last four, since the previous campaign.
- Form guide (last five games across competitions, most recent result first): Oxford: L-L-L-W-W; Preston: W-W-L-W-L
Oxford vs Preston prediction
Both sides haven't had the best of starts to their Championship campaigns. The U'Yellows haven't looked out of place, winning their first game on their return to the second division in 25 years.
Oxford, though, have run of steam of late, having not won in three games since their EFL Cup first-round victory over Peterborough at home two weeks ago. However, Buckingham's side have won four of their last six league games at home, while Preston have just one league win at Oxford in their last seven visits.
Considering that, we expect Preston's wretched away form to continue in a defeat without scoring.
Prediction: Oxford 2-0 Preston
Oxford vs Preston betting tips
Tip-1: Oxford to win
Tip-2: Preston to score: No (The Lilywhites haven't scored away in six league games.)
Tip-3: Over 1.5 goals: Yes (Their last eight meetings across competitions have had at least two goals.)
