Oxford United

Image source, Opta

Relegation-battling Oxford United will seek a first win under new boss Matt Bloomfield when they welcome Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT kick-off).

The U's are five points adrift of safety and have won just one of their past eight games (D2 L5).

Meanwhile, the Hoops are 11th but still in touching distance of the play-off spots, four points behind the top-six.

• Oxford United are winless in four league meetings with Queens Park Rangers (D1 L3), but have never gone five without a win against the Rs.

• QPR won this exact fixture last season 3-1, but have never won back-to-back away league games at Oxford United before.

• Oxford United are without a win in their past 10 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games (D4 L6) since defeating Luton 3-2 in January 2025.

• QPR have won each of their previous three away league games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), last winning four in a row in August 1971.

• Oxford United have only won one of their past eight league matches against London clubs (D3 L4), beating Millwall 1-0 away from home in January 2025.

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The football purists won't be banging on the Oxford United club shop door for a DVD of Saturday's game against Bristol City.

Both sides made it a difficult watch for most of the match.

Thankfully, United lit the touch paper late in the game and those oh-so-near moments when Stan Mills forced strong saves in the 72nd minute and injury time really gave the home crowd something to get behind.

It was a debut managerial performance from Matt Bloomfield that opened the door of hope, rather than shut the trap door to relegation.

It was solid defensively - a rare clean sheet - and still had some power in it to go for that last-gasp goal.

New signing Myles Peart-Harris on the left flank had an engine on him with as much rev as one installed at the local Mini car plant at Cowley.

And there are more new faces to come into the club to help with the fight, such as Jamie McDonnell, who signed from Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

But Oxford now face a flurry of games against sides who are pushing for the play-offs, as opposed to relegation rivals.

Normally the type of games you'd be happy to get a draw from. But some of those games need to be three-pointers if Bloomfield's men stand a chance of staying up.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United head coach Matt Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford:

"I'm fairly content. I would have been ecstatic if we'd got that winner at the end but it wasn't quite to be.

"There's loads of things to be pleased with today including our first clean sheet for a while.

"We played against a very, very good Championship team who have scored 12 goals in their last three games and we were the ones offering the threat so plenty to be content with but loads to go after as well.

"We'll continue to try to work on what we need to work on but the input from the players this week has been fantastic and that's what we are going to need between now and the end of the season."

New Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield speaks to media for the first time since becoming U's boss.

He discusses footballing philosophy, needing all the fans and why he took the Oxford job

He's been speaking to BBC South Today's Lewis Coombes.

Oxford United have seen a £500k bid for 22-year-old Reading and Wales midfielder Charlie Savage turned down. (Pete O'Rourke, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

New Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield said that he "trusted his gut" when making a decision over his future and joining the club simply "felt right".

The former Colchester, Wycombe and Luton Town manager signed a deal last week to become the new U's head coach, taking over from Gary Rowett who was relieved of his duties in late December.

On Thursday, Bloomfield spoke to media for the first time since his appointment, and discussed just why he decided to make the move after a short period away from the game following his dismissal as Luton Town head coach.

"I think there's been several positions that have been vacant since I've been out where I've had some phone calls and they haven't felt right," Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford.

"This one felt right and I'm a big believer in trusting your gut and following your instincts

"I met Ed [Waldron, head of football operations] and I think he's an incredible guy, the way he carries himself and represents his football club is amazing.

"I just came away with a good feeling from that and went through the interview process with nothing changing, I was really keen on getting the job and was absolutely delighted when it came through and was offered."

Oxford are currently second from bottom in the Championship table with 22 points, three adrift of safety and Bloomfield's first assignment is against Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Bloomfield will be tasked with repeating what Rowett was able to achieve last season by keeping the U's in the second tier.

Oxford finished five places and four points above the Luton team that Bloomfield was unable to keep in the division having taken over at Kenilworth Road in January.

"I've come in the building here with a freshness," Bloomfield added. "I've recharged the batteries and I'm really pleased to be here.

"I'll implement a style of football and a system that I believe that we can get the best out of the players, that's the only thing that matters is to get results and to keep us in this league."

Image source, Opta

The Matt Bloomfield era at Oxford United begins as the U's welcome Bristol City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Oxford are second-bottom of the Championship, three points from safety, after a run of one win, and four points, from their past seven games.

Two defeats in their past three league games has seen the Robins slip to 10th, though they remain within two points of the play-off places.

• Oxford are looking for a league double over Bristol City for the first time since the 1995/96 season under Denis Smith.

• Bristol City have won on just two of their 18 league visits to Oxford United (D6 L10), winning 2-0 in 1972/73 and 1-0 in 2000/01.

• Since the start of November, only Sheffield Wednesday (5) have picked up fewer points in the Championship than Oxford United (10), winning just two out of 13 games in that time (D4 L7).

• Bristol City are 17 points ahead of Oxford but they've only won two of their past 10 league games when starting the day 17+ points clear of their opponents (D2 L6).

• Excluding play-offs, only three players have been involved in more Championship goals in the past two seasons than Bristol City's Anis Mehmeti (20 goals, 7 assists) – he scored earlier this season against Oxford in the Robins' 3-1 defeat at Ashton Gate.

Oxford United want to sign Northern Irish 21-year-old midfielder Jamie McDonnell from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth around £1m. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

"It's obviously a little bit of a gamble from their point of view."

Will it work out between West Bromwich Albion and fresh face Eric Ramsay? Is Matt Bloomfield the man who will keep Oxford United up?

The 72+ pod are joined by AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson to discuss the latest managerial appointments in the Championship, the struggles at Shrewsbury Town, Jackson's experience with the Dons in League One as well as reflecting on a big FA Cup weekend.

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Shutterstock

Former Wycombe Wanderers head coach Mike Dodds has joined Oxford United as part of new boss Matt Bloomfield's staff.

Dodds was sacked by the Chairboys in September having led them to the League One play-offs last season and moves to The Kassam Stadium as assistant head coach.

Ben Cirne, who worked with Bloomfield in his previous roles at Colchester, Wycombe and Luton, is joining Oxford as coach analyst.

The U's have also confirmed Craig Short, who was interim boss following the departure of Gary Rowett last month, goalkeeping coach Lewis Price and coach Craig Hackett will remain at the club.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2025-26 FA Cup fourth-round draw will take place on Monday, 12 January at approximately 18:35 GMT.

Proceedings will take place before kick-off in the third-round tie between Liverpool and Barnsley at Anfield.

Former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole will conduct the draw that will consist of 32 teams live on TNT Sports.

Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 14 February.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

Non-league Macclesfield are the lowest-ranked team in the draw after beating holders Crystal Palace in a remarkable 2-1 victory.

What are the ball numbers?

• 1. Wolverhampton Wanderers

• 2. Southampton

• 3. Aston Villa

• 4. Port Vale

• 5. Wigan Athletic

• 6. Ipswich Town

• 7. Wrexham

• 8. Chelsea

• 9. Manchester City

• 10. West Ham United

• 11. Brentford

• 12. Fulham

• 13. Sunderland

• 14. Liverpool or Barnsley

• 15. Burnley

• 16. Norwich City

• 17. Arsenal

• 18. Leeds United

• 19. West Bromwich Albion

• 20. Salford City or Swindon Town

• 21. Burton Albion

• 22. Grimsby Town

• 23. Hull City

• 24. Newcastle United

• 25. Oxford United

• 26. Leicester City

• 27. Birmingham City

• 28. Bristol City

• 29. Stoke City

• 30. Macclesfield

• 31. Brighton & Hove Albion

• 32. Mansfield Town

Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wrexham 3-3 (4-3 pens) Nottingham Forest

• Preston North End 0-1 Wigan

• Macclesfield Town 2-1 Crystal Palace

• Everton 1-1 (0-3 pens) Sunderland

• Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town

• Fulham 3-1 Middlesbrough

• Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City

• Newcastle 3-3 (7-6 pens) Bournemouth

• Stoke City 1-0 Coventry City

• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

• Bristol City 5-1 Watford

• Cambridge United 2-3 Birmingham City

• Charlton 1-5 Chelsea