Portsmouth host Oxford United on Saturday, looking to increase their lead at the top of League One.
The Blues are coming off an excellent midweek despite not kicking a ball during Tuesday evening’s fixtures.
Charlton Athletic’s impressive win over Derby County and Wigan’s victory over Bolton means the Blues are now seven points clear of their nearest rivals.
The U’s travel to the South Coast in slightly indifferent form, having fallen down the table since Des Buckingham’s arrival.
Here, Portsmouth FC News looks at the inside track ahead of Saturday’s fixture.
What has happened to Oxford United?
After a superb start to the season, it’s fair to say Oxford haven’t got going under Buckingham’s stewardship.
The day Liam Manning left for Bristol City, Oxford were just three points off Pompey in the race for automatic promotion.
Now, Buckingham’s side are two points shy of the playoffs, having played one game more than Stevenage, who currently occupy the top six.
With Leyton Orient and Blackpool also in good form, it feels like a challenging task for the U’s to extend their season beyond the end of April.
Since Manning’s departure, the Yellows have managed 25 points compared to Pompey’s 38 – so, what has gone wrong?
Firstly, Oxford were overperforming under their former boss.
In terms of xG (expected goals, per FotMob), Oxford rank 11th with 41.4. Pompey and Peterborough lead the way with over 60; when it comes to the quality of chance created, the U’s are performing like a mid-table side.
It’s a similar story with the chances Oxford are allowing, with eight teams registering a lower xGA (expected goals against).
With this in mind, there’s a solid argument to suggest the Yellows were set to digress regardless of who was in the dugout.
Nevertheless, it does feel like Buckingham is stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of style of play. The 39-year-old is known for ball retention, dominating possession, and exploiting spaces out wide. However, it was evident in the reverse fixture that his team are more than happy to attack in transition, with both Oxford’s goals coming from Pompey’s possession in their half.
With results required to ease the pressure, Buckingham is perhaps reluctant to implement his methods properly. Therefore, a counter-attacking style should be seen on Saturday.
Who are Oxford United’s main threats?
Looking at the U’s squad, plenty of players would walk into most League One sides.
Cameron Brannagan is arguably one of the best midfielders in the division and has eight goals to his name thus far.
Mobile striker Mark Harris is also one to watch and is the U’s top scorer. 20-year-old Tyler Goodrham has also caught the eye this season and scored an excellent goal during the Blues’ 2-2 draw at The Kassam.
Considering the quality within the squad, the Yellows shouldn’t be dropping out of the playoff places entirely.
What is Oxford United’s recent form like?
Unsurprisingly, the U’s form has been patchy in recent weeks.
Draws to Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town were followed by a damaging home loss to Leyton Orient.
With one win in their last nine matches, Buckingham’s side head to the South Coast with nothing to build on.
Portsmouth v Oxford United record
Portsmouth’s record against Oxford in recent years hasn’t been excellent. The Blues’ last victory was a 3-2 Fratton Park triumph in March 2022.
It’s a similar story for Buckingham’s side, with their last win over the Blues in February 2022.
Three score draws have followed over the past two seasons.
For John Mousinho, anything but a win will be a huge disappointment. His side have been in excellent form of late, with their 0-0 draw against Charlton looking better by the day.
Elsewhere, Derby County host Port Vale, Bolton face Cambridge and Barnsley travel to Wycombe Wanderers.