Find out everything you need to know ahead of Oxford United's final pre-season game of the summer against Premier League outfit Ipswich Town.
WHEN AND WHERE
Oxford United host Ipswich Town in their final pre-season fixture of the summer.
The match takes place at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday 1 August, with the fixture kicking off at 12:00pm.
There is no streaming available for this fixture.
You can keep up to date with the action with live updates via the Official Oxford United App, as well as the key moments on X: @OUFCOfficial.
GET TO KNOW OUR OPPONENTS
After clinching second place in the Sky Bet Championship last season, Ipswich Town secured promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Founded in 1878, The Tractor Boys have a proud history that has included several major honours. Under the management of England legend Sir Alf Ramsey, the club won the First Division title in 1962, as well as winning the FA Cup in 1978 and UEFA Cup in the early 80's. In the modern era, Ipswich Town have spent most their time between the Championship and League One. However, their promotion at the end of the 2025/26 campaign sealed their second appearance in the Premier League in the past three seasons.
The 2024/25 season resulted in The Tractor Boys falling 16 points short of survival in the top flight, and the hope will be that they will put up a much better fight this time round.
Saturday's visitors are going through a summer of transition following the news that Head Coach, Kieran McKenna, was leaving his role after five years at the club. He was replaced by former Wolves and Strasbourg manager Gary O'Neil, who signed a three-year deal in June.
Gary O’Neil has built his managerial reputation on a pragmatic, tactically flexible approach, with his coaching career taking him from assistant roles at Liverpool and Bournemouth to becoming a Premier League head coach with Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
His breakthrough came at Bournemouth, where he guided the club to Premier League safety after taking over midway through the 2022/23 season, before moving to Wolves in 2023. Following a six-month stint in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, the former Portsmouth and West Ham midfielder has returned to England for another challenge in the Premier League.
O’Neil’s teams have generally been characterised by a strong emphasis on organisation, pressing and quick transitions, with an ability to adapt formations depending on the opposition. At his best, his sides look to remain compact without the ball, win possession in key areas and attack with pace and purpose.
His approach combines defensive structure with a willingness to play progressively when opportunities arise, reflecting his reputation as a detail-oriented and tactically adaptable young coach.
HOW ARE BOTH CAMPS SHAPING UP?
The Yellows have had a very successful pre-season so far, winning all three of their fixtures so far. The victories away to Aldershot Town and Barnet were followed up with a convincing win over Crawley Town in OX4 on Tuesday night.
Gatlin O'Donkor has scored in each of those three games and his confidence is higher than ever, whilst academy players such as Aidan Elliott-Wheeler, Leo Snowden and Harvey Bradney have also been showcasing their ability with regular minutes throughout pre-season so far.
Ipswich’s pre-season campaign got underway in earnest over the past few days, with the Tractor Boys taking on Spanish top-flight side Osasuna on Wednesday. They ultimately fell to a 2-1 defeat, but the game provided valuable minutes for a number of first-team players as they continue to build fitness and sharpness ahead of a busy schedule of friendlies in the coming weeks.
As is often the case for a newly promoted side, Ipswich have been busy strengthening their squad in the transfer market this summer. Brazilian forward Emersonn has arrived from Toulouse for a fee in the region of £26.5 million, while Abdul Fatawu has joined from Leicester City, Issa Diop has arrived from Fulham, and Japanese international Daizen Maeda has also been added to the squad. With several new faces already through the door, Ipswich are clearly looking to build a squad capable of competing at the highest level.
WHO COULD PROVE TO BE THE KEY MEN FOR EACH TEAM?
With Oxford United edging closer to the start of the new season, several of the squad’s senior figures are beginning to build up their minutes, and the team is starting to take shape nicely. Cam Brannagan looks set to lead the side once again, having featured in all three of United’s friendlies so far. His continued presence in the heart of the team underlines just how important he is likely to be to the U’s once more this campaign.
After missing the earlier stages of pre-season through illness, young winger Stan Mills has returned to the starting line-up in impressive fashion. He opened the scoring in the victory over Barnet before completing another 45 minutes against Crawley Town, where he once again showcased his trademark energy and threat down the right-hand side. The former Everton academy player finished last season strongly, and U’s supporters will be eager to see just how many goals, assists and exciting performances he can produce over the course of the new campaign.
Following the arrivals of Fatawu, Emersonn and Maeda, Ipswich Town's attacking department is looking stacked. This only adds to the talent already at their disposal through the likes of Jaden Philogene, Jack Clarke, Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom. Philogene registered 12 goals for the team last season and was highlighted as one of the Championship's best players last season. The former Aston Villa player will hope that he can now make the step up and perform consistently at the highest level.
Full-back Leif Davis has established himself as another important figure in Ipswich Town’s defence, combining his defensive reliability with an impressive ability to contribute going forward. The left-back has become particularly well known for his attacking output, offering width from deep and providing a consistent threat with his crossing and set-piece delivery. His energy and quality on the ball make him a valuable asset on the flank, while his experience at Championship and Premier League level should prove important for the team this season.
PREVIOUS MEETING
These two sides went head-to-head in the Sky Bet Championship last season, with one victory apiece across the two meetings. Their most recent encounter came at Portman Road on New Year’s Day, where the hosts ran out 2-1 winners. Jaden Philogene and Chuba Akpom found the net for Ipswich, with Will Lankshear scoring for the Yellows in between.
Earlier in the campaign, it was United who claimed all three points when the sides met at the Kassam Stadium. Mark Harris opened the scoring before Leif Davis restored parity shortly after half-time. With just 15 minutes remaining, Przemysław Płacheta produced the decisive moment, calmly finding the back of the net to secure a memorable victory for the U’s.
AARON RAMSEY'S PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS
Landmark Collection Has Launched!
Oxford United are pleased to unveil the 2026/27 Landmark Collection, a bespoke set of warm-up apparel to be worn by the Men’s and Women’s Teams throughout their pre-match preparations this season.
Available as a quarter zip and jersey, the collection draws inspiration from Oxford Stone, the limestone quarried in Headington and used across many of the city’s iconic buildings.
Art Inspires - Oxford United 2026/27 Home Kit
Check out the launch video for our new home kit.
