Oxford United vs Cardiff City Preview
- Tournament: EFL Championship 2024-25
- Date: Thursday, December 26, 2024
- Time: 3:00 pm GMT
- Venue: Kassam Stadium
Oxford United will host Cardiff City in an important match between the two relegation-battling sides on Boxing Day at the Kassam Stadium. Cardiff finished 12th in the EFL Championship last season while Oxford United earned promotion from League One. However, both sides are in the danger of getting relegated this season.
Oxford United are 23rd in the table after 21 games with just four wins, six draws and 11 defeats. They are level on points with bottom-placed Plymouth Argyle but above on goal difference.
Cardiff are also on the same points as Oxford and Plymouth, sitting 22nd in the table after 21 games. Their goal difference is just one better than their Thursday’s opponents.
With both sides struggling massively, a win on Boxing Day could be huge for either side. It could propel them to 20th place but will also give them confidence going into the New Year.
Oxford United Team News
Oxford will be without Joseph Bennett, Louie Sibley, and Siriki Dembele due to their respective injuries. All three of them are expected to return next month.
Cardiff City Team News
Cardiff City, meanwhile, are without Aaron Ramsey, Chris Willock, David Turnbull, Isaak Davies, Michael Reindorf, Ollie Tanner, Perry Ng and Ryotaro Tsunoda due to their respective injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Oxford United predicted lineup (4-4-1-1):
Goalkeeper: Jamie Cumming
Defenders: Gregory Leigh, Claron Brown, Elliott Moore, Peter Kioso
Midfielders: Owen Dale, Will Vaulks, Cameron Brannagan, Tyler Goodrham
Attackers: Przemyslaw Placheta, Dane Scarlett
Cardiff City predicted lineup (3-4-3):
Goalkeeper: Jak Alnwick
Defenders: Jesper Daland, Dimitrios Goutas, Calum Chambers
Midfielders: Andy Rinomhota, Manolis Siopis, Alex Robertson, Joel Bagan
Attackers: Callum Robinson, Yakou Meite, Chris Willock
Oxford United vs Cardiff City H2H Record
Cardiff City have won both of their previous meetings.
Last 5 results:
| Oxford United 1-2 Cardiff City | Club Friendlies | August 4, 2012 |
| Oxford United 1-3 Cardiff City | League Cup | August 11, 2011 |
Key Players to watch in Oxford United vs Cardiff City
Dane Scarlett
Dane Scarlett joined Oxford United on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer as yet another loan spell for the youngster. It took him time to adjust to the club but has now become their top scorer. The 20-year-old has scored four goals in 17 EFL Championship games this season.
However, Scarlett hasn’t scored in his last five appearances for the club, three of which have been starts. He will be keen to change that and add to his goalscoring tally in a crucial game against Cardiff City on Thursday.
Callum Robinson
The Republic of Ireland striker is Cardiff City’s top scorer in the Championship this season with five goals in 17 appearances so far. He’s three above the next best, which shows his importance to the side.
Robinson joined Cardiff from West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2022 and has since scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 65 games across competitions for them. He was on the bench for their 2-2 draw against Stoke City and then featured as a substitute against Stoke City.
Given that Cardiff failed to win both those games, Robinson is likely to return to the starting XI on Thursday.
Oxford United vs Cardiff City Prediction
Oxford United are winless in their last seven games across competitions. In fact, they have just one win since September 14 when they beat Stoke City 1-0. Since then, they have managed just one win in 16 games – a 1-0 win over Hull City.
They have lost their last three games, losing 2-0 against QPR, 3-1 against Sheffield Wednesday, and 4-0 against Leeds United. Meanwhile, Cardiff are also winless in their last eight games across competitions.
They have maintained a pattern of one draw and one defeat in their last seven games. They drew 2-2 against Stoke City and lost 2-0 against Sheffield in their last two games. The pattern suggests they might draw against Oxford on Thursday.
However, given Cardiff’s injuries and Oxford’s home advantage, the hosts should be able to take all three points in the crucial clash.
Predicted Score: Oxford United 2-1Cardiff City
Where to watch Oxford United vs Cardiff City Live?
| Country | Where to Watch |
| USA | NBC Sports |
| UK | Sky Sports |
| India | FanCode |
FAQs
Q. When is Oxford United vs Cardiff City?
A. It’s on Thursday (December 26) at 3:00 pm GMT at Kassam Stadium
Q. Where to watch Oxford United vs Cardiff City for free?
A. Soccerstreams, Footybite, etc.
Q. What is the predicted score for Oxford United vs Cardiff City?
A. The predicted score is Oxford United 2-1 Cardiff City
Q. What is the head-to-head record for Oxford United vs Cardiff City?
A. Cardiff have won both of their previous meetings.