Oxford United

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio Five Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

A night to remember in Lancashire for Oxford. Spearheaded by Will Lankshear, Matt Bloomfield's side might just have unearthed some form in the nick of time.

"We played with energy, freshness and enthusiasm," he beamed afterwards.

Oxford had risen to the challenge at Deepdale with a smart tactical approach clearly designed to unsettle a hopelessly out of form Preston team.

The U's struck early, but their fans may have feared the worst when Ciaron Brown headed over a simple chance to make it 2-0 and Preston promptly equalised.

But Oxford were to summon courage, spirit and some sprinkles of ruthlessness to engineer a win in the second half and change the complexion at the bottom of the Championship.

The addition of Jamie Donley in January looks shrewd - as does some added depth in reserve; Oxford's set-piece execution was also on the button on a poor Preston pitch.

These are shoots of recovery under Bloomfield as Oxford try to ensure themselves of a third successive season in the second tier.

"I believe we can do that. We'll be fighting," he said.

For the first time in nearly 14 months Oxford have back-to-back league wins and - crucially - some impetus to take into the final 10 games, starting against another team haunted by relegation, Blackburn Rovers, on Wednesday.

Image source, Shutterstock

Earlier we asked what you make of the news that, from next season, the Championship play-offs will be expanded to include the teams finishing seventh and eighth?

It was announced on Thursday morning that EFL clubs voted in favour of expanding the play-offs from four to six teams.

Here's a selection of your comments...

Josh, Derby: I don't believe this is necessary. I do think that the play-off format should be aligned throughout the top five leagues, but expanding isn't needed. Better distribution of the monies involved and establishing a clear matchday structure to balance various men's and women's leagues would be a better use of everyone's time. This strikes me undue American influence.

Callum, Dartford: I think it's a good thing so teams can push for promotion that thought they wouldn't get near the play-offs.

Cato, Sheffield: If we adopted it to this season, it means that eighth-placed Derby (on 51 points) have about as much a chance of going up as third-placed Millwall (on 63 points). Plus, to accommodate the extra games, would they extend the season into June? I don't like the idea of it at all, and I hope it's short-lived.

Steve, London: Another example of football being ruined, week by week. Don't you dare think about implementing VAR too.

Mark, Stafford: As a Stoke fan, I think it's good news. The season has come to a grinding halt due to being decimated by injuries. Add to that, the quality of what is coming down from the Premier League, it would mean upsets can happen and still allow teams in that mid-table race to dream of greater heights!

Richard, Stansted: Absolutely ridiculous. What is the point of a league format if you are going to make it a bigger lottery to include even more teams at the end of the season? It also brings teams that are even less ready to actually be in the Premier League into scope. But mostly it's the undermining of the league format which makes no sense. I'm a Derby fan - and we look like we would have a chance of benefiting from this if it were in place this season.

Andy, Nuneaton: Anything that expands the opportunities for those outside of the parachute teams is a good thing. We need to get away from this elite view of the Premier League. If it was up to them, they'd stop automatic promotion and relegation and have a system like Rugby Union, where it's based on meeting certain criteria. The eighth-placed club in the Championship getting to the PL? Bring it on!

Ron, Hayling: Money, Money, Money. Players complain about the amount of games they play with the league games and cup competitions so the intention is to play even more at the end of the season. Owners will make some money but that's all that matters!

Barry, Dartford: Yes it's a fantastic for everyone, all the small teams as well as the big boys, to have something to play for. It will give the end of the season something to look forward to.

Benjamin, Poole: I'm a Charlton fan, so it's unlikely we'll come 8th in the Championship any time soon, however, this is ridiculous. More pandering to Americans to make it more likely they'll make money, which is the only thing they care about. Sporting integrity out of the window again. Shame as I felt the Championship was the last bastion of quality and integrity combined. Game has gone.

Broughton, Derby: Absolute ridiculous, put it back to the old days of three straight up, no play-offs. If you don't make top-three you don't deserve to go up.

Julian, London: The worst decision from a footballing point of view ever! The National League teams have been trying to change their system to be like the current EFL system so it seems a very strange decision for the EFL to take. You can finish 8th after 46 games and still get promoted - sporting integrity has been totally lost with this decision. Money over integrity every time!

Image source, Opta

The Championship weekend gets under way at Deepdale on Friday night (20:00 GMT) as Oxford United head to Preston aiming to leap out of the relegation zone.

The second-bottom U's have been in the bottom three for all but three days since early December, but last Saturday's 2-1 win over West Brom means another three points at North End would see them leapfrog Leicester and Albion, dragging the Baggies into the drop-zone on goal difference ahead of Saturday's matches.

The Lilywhites lost 2-0 at home to Millwall on Saturday and have dropped eight points below the play-off places of the back of a run of one win in nine league games, which have earned them just six points and leaves them 11th, with the prospect of dropping into the bottom half for the first time this season if results don't go their way.

• Preston North End are looking to complete only their second ever league double over Oxford United, doing so in the 1999/00 campaign.

• Oxford have won one of their past five league games against Preston (D1 L3), a 3-1 home win in August 2024 under Des Buckingham.

• Preston have lost three home Championship matches in 2026 so far (W2 D1), only one fewer than they lost throughout the entirety of 2025 at Deepdale (W7 D11 L4).

• Oxford United won their most recent league game, beating West Bromwich Albion 2-1, but they haven't had consecutive Championship wins since January 2025 – the second win of which was against Luton Town, then managed by Matt Bloomfield.

• Jamie Donley has been involved in eight goals in his past 10 EFL starts (2 goals, 6 assists), assisting on his first start for Oxford in their 2-1 win over West Brom last time out.

Oxford United striker Will Lankshear said he was delighted to end his recent goal drought in the 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion.

The 20-year-old had gone eight Championship games without a goal but scored to help the U's to a first league win since 24 January.

"I've been really disappointed, and there's been a bit of a question mark around me," the Tottenham Hotspur loanee told BBC Radio Oxford.

"Maybe the goals have not been coming in and so it's definitely something that I need to get into my game.

"I'm just really, really pleased I got the goal because it's been killing me, honestly."

Victory over relegation rivals West Brom was just Oxford's seventh of the season and moved them to within three points of safety.

Lankshear said the players are "giving absolutely everything" to stay up, but he has been "frustrated for the fans who deserve so much more in terms of the results".

"This is the start, this is just one game, so let's keep it going and, hopefully, the fans have a lot more to be excited about," he added.

"They came in numbers and really got behind the side, which was massive for us, and we're going to really need them for the next 11 games.

"It really showed on the players - the fight and the spirit we showed. I think that was driven by the fans.

"So, we're really thankful for them and they've been amazing with us so far."

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United head coach Matt Bloomfield says his side's 2-1 win over fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion was a "big day" for the club.

The victory was Oxford's first in seven Championship matches and Bloomfield's first at home since taking over the club in early January.

Oxford moved three points off West Brom and two off 22nd-placed Leicester City after the win.

"It's really important that we got that first home win," he told BBC Radio Oxford.

"It's really important that we give our supporters something to cheer about, be proud of their team about and something that we can really get our teeth stuck into.

"Today did feel like a big day, it was only three points, but it felt like it was a big day for us and I'm so proud to be stood here as the winning manager.

"If you look at last season the survival was built on set-piece goals and we need to do better at that - we need to do better at goals in general. But set-pieces are a great threat for us, so really pleased that we got two from that today."

Image source, Coventry City FC

You might not hear the old terrace refrain of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' as often as you used to, but it still has a better ring than 'the shirt's not fit for you to wear'.

Championship leaders Coventry City launched a new collection on Friday, proudly taking inspiration from a kit widely dubbed the 'Worst of All Time'.

A take on the club's infamous brown change strip worn away from Highfield Road from 1978 to 1981, the modern reinvention features what the club calls "a deeper chocolate plum colour with sky blue elements".

Many would suggest it sounds tastier than it looks.

But it's got us thinking... what are actually the worst EFL kits of all time? Let us know which of your club's shirts is hiding in the back of the wardrobe, or even if they were too ugly for you to even part money for them.

We'll collate a list of the biggest eyesores and will give you the chance to vote on the ghastliest of all next week.

Click here to let us know your suggestion, and you can even attach a picture if you really want to convey the horror.

"It's the end of February and it feels like we are entering last-chance saloon already and that isn't a great position to be in.

"The team is still a little bit short. The next game is a big one. There is still time and Matt Bloomfield has a history, once he gets a bit of momentum, he builds on that and gets that togetherness. I don't think it's done and dusted just yet.

"If you look at the table it's not unsalvageable. Not having Brian De Keersmaecker for the rest of the season is a disaster and to have him and Jamie Donley out is really damaging."

George Elek, former U's defender Ben Purkiss and BBC Radio Oxford's Jerome Sale join Robyn Cowan as The Dub podcast reflects on the defeat to Stoke, a major milestone on the stadium situation and a big injury blow and look ahead to a huge game to come on Saturday at home to West Brom.

Image source, Opta

Oxford United will seek to climb towards safety and drag West Bromwich Albion deeper into the mire when the two meet at the Kassam on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Albion would go into the game in the bottom-three should Leicester pick up a point against Norwich at lunchtime, having been pegged back by Charlton to draw 1-1 at the Hawthorns on Tuesday, which ended Eric Ramsay's winless eight-match reign as head coach after just 44 days.

The U's battled to a point at Middlesbrough last Saturday but a 2-1 defeat at Stoke on Wednesday left them six points adrift of the Baggies in 23rd and they have not scored a goal at home since Boxing Day, a run of six scoreless games in all competitions.

• Oxford are unbeaten in their past five home league games against West Brom (W3 D2), though their 1-1 draw last season is the only time they've hosted them this century.

• Following their 2-1 win in November, West Brom are looking to complete the league double over Oxford for the first time since 1990/91.

• Oxford have failed to score in each of their past five Championship home games, their longest run without a home goal in their league history.

• West Brom are winless in their past 13 away league games (D2 L11), while no side has lost more Championship away games this term than the Baggies (12).

• Only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday (11) have failed to score in more different Championship home games this season than Oxford (8).

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United midfielder Brian De Keersmaecker is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.

The 25-year-old has had a procedure on a shoulder injury, which has kept him out since the U's victory over Leicester City in January.

De Keersmaecker joined Oxford in the summer from Dutch side Heracles Almelo and has since gone on to make 28 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring two goals and registering five assists.

U's boss Matt Bloomfield confirmed the midfielder had undergone the operation on Wednesday.

"We'd been waiting for his return and he had been training," Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford after the loss at Stoke.

"But he's decided to have the operation on his shoulder and we wish him a speedy recovery, I'd be very surprised to see him on a pitch this season.

"The club invested heavily in Brian last summer and he was a big signing for the football club, we thought he could recover and play and it's really frustrating that he won't."

Oxford are 23rd in the Championship table and six points from the safety line.

Oxford United head coach Matt Bloomfield spoke to BBC Radio Oxford following their 2-1 defeat at Stoke.

"Two soft goals from our point of view, I didn't think we hit the same levels as we did on Saturday at Middlesbrough," he said.

"I'd have liked us to be more solid out of possession, but we found our way back into the game, hit the bar, and we could be talking about a different result right now.

"We're playing against top opposition every week and our boys have been great recently - our performance levels have been very good.

"But we have to be at our best every week, we hit those levels at times tonight, but at times I felt our shape was a little bit open for what we wanted, especially away from home.

"There's certainly things we can go after again."

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United have triggered an option to sign striker Nik Prelec on a permanent basis.

Prelec, 24, has been on loan from Italian club Cagliari this season, scoring one goal in 19 Championship appearances.

The club's head of football Ed Waldron says there is "more to come" from Prelec.

"This is a proactive piece of business as we secure Nik on a permanent deal," he said.

"We believe there is more to come from him in an Oxford United shirt. He has shown moments of quality so far but has been unable to reach his full potential due to injury.

"We're hopeful he'll return to the pitch very soon and make a strong contribution for the club this season and beyond."

Oxford are currently 23rd in the Championship, six points adrift of safety.

Stoke City and Oxford United will aim to bolster their respective positions when they meet at the Bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night (20:00 GMT).

For the Potters, the hope will be to regain their momentum after a winless run of seven league games (D4 L3) leaves them down in 16th place and seven points adrift of the play-off places they once occupied.

But for the U's, things may be even more worrying. Their winless run of five games (D2 L3) has them five points away from safety in the bottom three.

• Following their 3-0 win in November, Stoke are looking to complete the league double over Oxford United for the first time.

• Oxford haven't scored more than once in any of their last six league games against Stoke, netting just three goals in total (W1 D3 L2).

• Stoke have lost half of their midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games this season (W3 D1 L4), though one of their victories was in the reverse fixture against Oxford.

• Oxford are winless in their last 13 midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) league games (D5 L8), netting just six goals in this run.

• Stoke boss Mark Robins has lost just one of his six league meetings with Oxford (W3 D2), going down 1-0 at home while at Coventry in March 2019.

Nathan Albon
5 Live Sport reporter at the Riverside

Image source, Getty Images

As the gulls swooped around the Riverside looking for tasty morsels… there were no such delights for Middlesbrough today.

Real sense of opportunity missed as second from top played second from bottom.

Oxford clung on at times, but came with a clear gameplan. They came on the team bus, and they parked that bus… Blocks, tackles, clearances, the lot.

And they were a threat on the break - twice hitting the woodwork through Stanley Mills and Myles Peart-Harris in the first half.

So Oxford drag themselves closer to safety, but they're still five points adrift.

And Middlesbrough, who were two points clear before losing to Coventry on Monday, now find themselves winless in two and three points behind the leaders

Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield felt his side might have had more to show for their efforts after twice hitting the woodwork in their goalless draw at promotion-chasing Middlesbrough.

The U's followed up a 0-0 draw at leaders Coventry earlier this month with another spirited display to earn a share of the spoils against one of the division's best sides.

Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford: "I thought we were better today than at Coventry. It's similar, but different. I thought we were excellent first half, had the two best chances of the half.

"I'll be honest with you, at Coventry I was grateful for the point. Today, I was a bit disappointed that we haven't got ourselves ahead [by] one, maybe even two, in the game.

"I think Middlesbrough are as good as it gets in the league. They are brilliant, the way they move the ball, some of the players they have got are fantastic. They are going to have spells of chances and we had to maybe ride our luck at times.

"I'm actually thinking that was a different performance to Coventry because we imposed ourselves on the game today, especially in the first half.

"That's two good performances in a row and two good performances where we can go after more."

Oxford, who moved to within five points of safety following Saturday's draw at the Riverside, travel to Stoke on Tuesday.

Middlesbrough had their six-game winning streak in the Championship ended by Coventry City on Monday night - a result which meant the Sky Blues returned to the top of the table and Boro dropped to second place.

Oxford United are without a win in their past four games, including three defeats, and are six points adrift of safety with 14 games remaining.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their past 11 league games against Oxford (W8 D3), with their last defeat against them coming in February 1990 (1-3) under Bruce Rioch.

• Oxford have lost 11 of their 14 away league matches against Middlesbrough (W2 D1), scoring just nine goals across the 14 matches (0.6 per game).

• Middlesbrough have won their past three home league matches without conceding a goal – they last won and kept a clean sheet in four straight league games at the Riverside between April and September 2018 (5), under Tony Pulis.

• Only Sheffield Wednesday (1) have scored fewer Championship goals in 2026 than Oxford (4). However, all four of those have been netted in away games, only failing to score in one of their four matches on the road since the turn of the year.

• Middlesbrough are the only side yet to drop a point from a winning position in the Championship this season, going on to win all 18 games when taking the lead.