Championship | Gameweek 24

Dec 29, 2024 at 3pm UK

The Kassam Stadium

Oxford Utd vs Plymouth

Match preview

Oxford got off to a flying start under Gary Rowett, holding on for a narrow 3-2 win against Cardiff City on Boxing Day.

Mark Harris, Ciaron Brown and Przemyslaw Placheta all scored to give Oxford a solid three-goal lead at the Kassam Stadium, before Cardiff's Cian Ashford and Callum Robinson found the net in the 82nd and 95th minute, respectively.

The U's got a scare at the end, but they did enough to get three points, ending their run of three losses and their seven-game wait for a win.

Thanks to this narrow win, Oxford have moved out of the Championship relegation zone, leaving them in 20th place and two points above the bottom three ahead of Sunday's match with Plymouth.

While Rowett might have started his tenure with a win, he'll know that Oxford need to improve their defence, seeing as they've conceded two goals or more in six of their last seven matches.

The U's will now be fully focused on their final game of 2024, and the hosts will be looking to beat Plymouth for the first time since they recorded a 3-1 win against them in April 2021.

Things aren't going well for Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney, either. His side put in another disappointing performance in Thursday's away game against Coventry City.

The Pilgrims lost 4-0 to Frank Lampard's side, conceding all four goals in a disastrous first half at the Coventry Building Society Arena.As a result of that loss, Plymouth have lost five of their last six matches and haven't won in seven games since they beat Blackburn Rovers on 5 November.

With just 18 points from 22 matches, Rooney's side will go into the last matchday of 2024 as the Championship's basement side, with Portsmouth, in 21st place, just two points ahead.

Plymouth have to improve a lot at the back if they're not going to be relegated, having let in 48 goals in their 22 league games – 10 more than any other side in the division.

The Pilgrims might be able to get some inspiration from the fact that they've won each of their last four matches against Oxford, including a 3-1 away victory in their most recent meeting in February 2023.

Recent Performance

Oxford United Championship form:LDLLLW

Plymouth Argyle Championship form:LLLLDL

Team News

Oxford still can't play Ben Nelson and Joe Bennett because they've got bad injuries.Siriki Dembele and Louie Sibley might get more minutes off the bench after returning from injury to be subs against Cardiff.Rowett might decide to keep the same starting lineup if there are no new injury concerns before Sunday's home game.

Plymouth are expected to be without Ryan Hardie, Michael Obafemi, Morgan Whittaker, Muhamed Tijani, Ibrahim Cissoko and Joe Edwards.

Mustapha Bundu is probably not going to be involved after he was forced off in the first half against Coventry City with a hamstring problem.

Callum Wright will miss the first game of a three-match suspension after his late red card at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Possible starting lineup

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh; Placheta, Vaulks, Brannagan, Goodrham; Rodrigues; Harris

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Grimshaw; Mumba, Szucs, Gibson, Galloway; Issaka, Gyabi, Randell, Forshaw, Finn; Gray