MATCH PREVIEW Oxford United v Sunderland

A full guide to Saturday's game at the Kassam Stadium

8 April 2022

Oxford United welcome Sunderland to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday in Sky Bet League 1.

With a sell-out crowd there is sure to be a great atmosphere as two teams chasing the play-offs go head to head.

TEAM NEWS
United welcome back Elliott Moore and Cameron Brannagan as they look to bounce back after two defeats on the road this week.

Moore returns after an ankle injury while Brannagan is available again after being ruled out of the games at Plymouth and Morecambe after a collision in training last week.

Marcus Browne, Sam Baldock, Alex Gorrin and Jamie Hanson are all making good progress after injury but will not feature this weekend.

See Karl and Sam Long previewing the game in iFollow.

THE OPPOSITION
Sunderland Boss Alex Neil brings his seventh-placed Black Cats to the Kassam Stadium one place and one point ahead of the U’s, who he expects to be on the front foot on Saturday

"I wouldn't say they will have nothing to lose, but I'd certainly say they'll throw caution to the wind," he said. "I think they'll go for it. Karl's teams are naturally attacking anyway, they aren't really set up to be defensive, they will try to score goals and they are one of the most threatening teams in the league, so it will make for an entertaining game.

"They are well-coached, they have some good players, they have fluctuated with their shape recently in terms of going with a back three and a back four, so we'll be equipped and set up to cope with that. If this was the second or third game of the season, and you were looking ahead to the rest of the season, you go into this feeling a bit more cagey, trying to get something from the game but also making sure we are nice and solid.

"But we are at the stage of the season now - and it's the same for every team - where points are at a premium, so there will be many more teams going for the game and trying to get the three points right from the off and make it quite open."

"But I don't think Oxford will just let us play. I've watched them and without the ball they probably don't get the credit they deserve.

The Gaffer

The Programme

Under 18s take on Southend

Women travel to Bridgwater

TICKETS
The game is sold out and no tickets will be available on the day.

PARKING AND ACCESS

There are around 2,000 free parking spaces at the stadium but we ask everyone to arrive early and park legally.

The gate behind the Planet IT North Stand WILL be in place so fans cannot move from one end of the ground to the other behind that stand

COLLECTION
There will be a bucket collection before the game for our friends at Helen & Douglas House. You can donate at all of the turnstiles and we'd love your help in raising funds as they celebrate 40 years of helping families all across Oxfordshire.

VISITING FANS
Click here for a full away fan guide: 2021 away guide.pdf

Please park in the West car park - the one closest to the cinema and bowling complex at the fence end of the ground.

GETTING HERE
The Football Special bus services, including the Didcot/Abingdon service, are running as normal and offer easy and affordable transport to home games. CLICK HERE for a full guide to public transport to the game.

FAMILY

Click here for a full guide to bringing your family to the Kassam Stadium: 2021 family guide.pdf

20% Off EVERYTHING
The Club Shop has 20% off everything, available to match ticket holders or Season Ticket Holders tomorrow.

Purchase your scarves, hats and Yellows merchandise to get the Kassam Stadium rocking and show your support.

Once they’re gone, they’re gone so head into store early to get your hands on the best deals before anyone else.

Although the offer is not available online, why not have a browse of what could be available on the hangers before arriving by clicking here. (www.oufcshop.co.uk)

FIFTY/50

With another big crowd it will also mean a big prize for the Polythene UK half time draw, make sure you buy your ticket, available all around the ground.

COVERAGE

You can hear the whole game in iFollow in the UK and see it overseas, with interviews with all the key men after the game.

You can also follow the whole game on twitter through @OUFCOfficial or on our Instagram page and we will have a full match report and Gallery right here on the final whistle.

Pre Match Videos

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Match Reports

REPORT Oxford United 1 Sunderland 2

Late goal sinks the U's. Full time report

9 April 2022

A goal with two minutes to go from Elliot Embleton gave Sunderland a priceless win over the U's this afternoon that leaves United trailing the play-off pack with games running out.

Elliott Moore's powerful header had levelled an entertaining game after Corry Evans had given the visitors an early lead but, as United pressed for a winner Embleton fired home to break the hearts of a sell-out home crowd.

Considering the situation, nobody seemed to tell the two sides it was meant to be tense and the first half in particular was ferociously end to end.

Mark Sykes saw a drive saved by visiting keeper Anthony Patterson after just two minutes and blasted another over the fence a few minutes later, while at the other end Nathan Broadhead was denied by the broad boot of the immense Luke McNally when he seemed sure to score.

The return of captain Moore and the highly influential Cameron Brannagan gave United a touch more stability, and they moved the ball smartly on the sunlit Kassam Stadium pitch all afternoon, backed by a vociferous home following, but sometimes you need a break of the ball and on 16 minutes that went the way of the visiting side.

United’s wall repelled a free kick, they blocked the follow up from Jay Matete, but the ball broke the way of captain Evans who turned and poked it past the helpless Jack Stevens for the opener.

No matter. The ever-resilient United just stuck to their guns and slowly took over the rest of the half.

On 35 minutes they were deservedly level when Moore marked his return with a thumping header to power Billy Bodin’s free kick past the helpless Patterson, and the pattern had been set - United pressing Sunderland back but very aware of the threat they posed on the break.

That continued after the break. Matete don't text* but did shoot and forced Stevens into early handling practice, but the marauding McNally was more threatening moments later with a low drive that flashed just the wrong side of the left post.

With Man-of-the-Match Ciaron Brown having a fine game at left-back and Sam Long terrific on the other side, United's back line looked strong - Matete's speculative effort and the goal were Sunderland's only efforts on target in the first hour - but the question from that point on was whether either side would gamble, knowing a draw would suit other teams more than them?

Sunderland seemed to take the safer option - understandable with a game in hand - but that was annoyingly deceptive.

For the second time this week, the opposition keeper made a magnificent, match-defining, save, Patterson somehow clawing away Brown's back-post header on 66 minutes, and although a Bodin free kick clipped the top of the bar with 15 minutes left, United could find no further way through.

And then it all went wrong.

Two minutes to go and the excellent Matete drove the away side forward. The ball was flicked on to Embleton and he smashed it joyfully past the exposed Stevens to win the game.

The season isn't over, it just got harder.

Four games left and United probably need to win all four. See you at Fleetwood...

Att: 11,690
Away: 1,782

Fifty/50 winning number wins £

Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Steve Daniels, Steve Edmunds and Rex Shutterstock, stats by OPTA

*Too obscure? Email Dannytrejo@oufc.co.uk with your complaints

Match Reports

Ticket News

Sunderland SOLD OUT

Capacity crowd as the U's take on the Black Cats

7 April 2022

Oxford United’s Sky Bet League 1 game at home to Sunderland on Saturday is now SOLD OUT

The last ticket to see the U’s take on the Black Cats was snapped up this morning meaning the Kassam Stadium will have a capacity crowd of over 11,500 once again to see two sides go head to head in the chase for the play-offs.

“It’s great that it’s a sell-out” Karl Robinson told iFollow this morning.

“That’s six out of seven games where we have had crowds of over 10,000 and it feels like Oxfordshire is really getting behind us. Whoever we are playing we are now attracting home crowds of over 9,000 regularly, where they were 4,500 a couple of years ago.

"There will be a tremendous atmosphere and we are really looking forward to it.”

Football Special buses are running as usual for this game and fans coming to the match are advised to arrive early to avoid traffic or parking problems.