Blackburn Vs Plymouth

Portsmouth will aim to secure consecutive league wins as they head to the Kassam Stadium for a Saturday lunchtime clash against Oxford United. On the other hand, Oxford United will be eager to return to winning form after a mixed run of results in their last four Championship matches, which included three draws and one loss.

Since taking over as Oxford United's manager in December, Gary Rowett has overseen a notable improvement in the team's performance. Under his leadership, Oxford has won five, drawn five, and lost just one of their 11 league games. This turnaround has lifted the team from the relegation zone to 16th place in the league standings, putting them nine points clear of the bottom three ahead of their upcoming match. However, Oxford's momentum has stalled in recent weeks, with the team failing to secure a win in their last four matches since their 3-2 victory over Luton Town on January 21. Their recent fixtures include draws against Stoke City and Bristol City, a narrow 1-0 defeat to promotion-chasing Burnley, and a goalless draw against Derby County at Pride Park on Tuesday.

Having played two consecutive away games, Oxford will be eager to return to the Kassam Stadium, where they have remained unbeaten under Rowett's management. In his five home games in charge, Oxford has secured four wins and one draw. The team will be hoping that home advantage can help them break a six-game winless streak against Portsmouth in competitive matches, with their last victory over Portsmouth dating back to February 2022.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, are currently five points behind Oxford in 18th place. They recently moved four points clear of the relegation zone with a crucial midweek victory over Cardiff City, one of their relegation rivals. Colby Bishop and Conor Shaughnessy scored early goals in the first 20 minutes, and although Cardiff pulled one back through Callum O'Dowda, Portsmouth held on to secure a 2-1 win. This victory ended a four-game winless run for John Mousinho's side. Portsmouth's home form has been a key factor in their survival bid, with 26 of their 33 points this season coming from their 16 league matches at Fratton Park. However, their away form has been a stark contrast, and they will be looking to end a run of seven consecutive away defeats when they face Oxford on Saturday. Their only away league win this season came back in October when they came from behind to defeat Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

While Portsmouth have avoided defeat in their last six meetings with Oxford, they have struggled in recent away fixtures against the U's. Their last away victory over Oxford was a 1-0 win in February 2021, and they have failed to win any of their last three head-to-head away matches since then. Both teams will be eager to secure a positive result in this encounter, with Oxford aiming to reignite their push for a mid-table finish and Portsmouth looking to build on their recent victory and pull further away from the relegation zone. The match promises to be a closely contested affair, with both sides having plenty to play for as the Championship season enters its decisive phase.