The Yellows stormed to a 4-0 victory over Russell Martin’s Foxes on Saturday, Mark Harris with two and Mo Missanga and Jamie McDonnell with a goal each to secure second win of the League One season.

It was a day to remember for many players at the King Power Stadium, with Missanga and McDonnell both notching their first goals for the club, the former on only his second senior start.

Simon Eastwood started the afternoon for a second game running whilst first-choice goalkeeper Jamie Cumming returned to the bench after a groin injury.

Cumming was withdrawn early into the U’s 2-1 win over Stevenage, 37-year-old Eastwood replacing him, and subsequently missed out on a place in the squad for a midweek trip to Huddersfield Town last week which ended in a 3-1 defeat.

After the 27-year-old returned to the bench in the East Midlands, head coach Ramsey offered an update on the no.1 keeper’s status.

“He’s only had one training session with the team,” the Yellows boss disclosed after the win at Leicester.

“So for us, we know how important he is for the team.

“Eastwood did really well last week and for him to come in again today and get that clean sheet is brilliant.

“But now as well, for Jamie’s sake, he’s got a full week of preparation now to really make sure that he’s in a good place now for next week.”

Backup shot-stopper Eastwood secured his first clean sheet in almost three years against the Foxes and the Yellows’ first of the season.

The keeper’s last clean sheet came in December 2023, a 1-0 win at Forest Green Rovers in the EFL trophy.

Eastwood, who has been at the club since 2016, has performed well whilst standing in in-between the sticks.

Despite losing against Huddersfield, the former Terrier did all he could and made five saves at the Accu Stadium.

The Englishman then managed four against Leicester, with a statistic of 0.6 goals prevented according to Sofascore.

His colleague Cumming played every minute of last season’s league campaign which saw United relegated from the Championship under Gary Rowett and then Matt Bloomfield.

The former Chelsea man kept eight clean sheets for a struggling U’s side last term.

His last campaign in League One was in the U’s promotion season of 2023/24 where he joined in January on a six-month loan.

Cumming made 23 league and play-off appearances in that time and managed seven clean sheets, including in the 2-0 play-off final win at Wembley against Bolton Wanderers.

The away match against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, September 26, and the home clash with Stockport County on Saturday, October 3, will be rescheduled.

This season, the September and October international breaks have been combined into a 16-day period, with countries playing four matches instead of the usual two.

As a result, Oxford United are expected to have at least four players selected for international duty.

This includes Mark Harris, who is a regular in the Wales squad and has already scored three goals in four matches this season.

The Welsh team is set to play Portugal and Denmark away before hosting Norway and playing Denmark a second time.

Brodie Spencer, Ciaron Brown, and Jamie McDonnell are expected to be included in the Northern Ireland squad.

They are set to face Georgia and Hungary, then Ukraine and Georgia again.

There is also a potential call-up for Aidomo Emakhu, who made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in May.

The winger is out injured for a “couple of weeks” at the moment, however, so may not be back fit in time for a potential set of international games.

Oxford United have assured fans that any tickets purchased for the original match dates will still be valid for the rearranged fixtures.

The club will announce the new dates for these games in due course.

These postponements are part of the first international break of the season, with one more scheduled for November.

The Yellows ran riot at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, 18-year-old Missanga assisting Mark Harris’ first goal and scoring the team’s second in a four-goal triumph.

Harris notched a second before Jamie McDonnell put the cherry on top of a fruitful afternoon with his first goal for the club.

The game was only Missanga’s second start and third appearance in total in senior football, but the winger showed no fear by making an instant impact in League One.

“No matter where I am, who I’m playing against, I have a lot of confidence,” the U’s academy graduate declared after the match.

“Just the way I am as a person, I really enjoy playing football.

“So I feel like, just why not try to express myself and show the fans what I can do and try to do my best for the club.”

Missanga slotted his goal away in front of the travelling United fans, Coventry City loanee Kai Andrews finding the teenager in space down the middle.

Peter Kioso closes down his man at Leicester City (Image: Oxford United)

Chopping onto his right foot in the box, the wide man showed a calmness beyond his years to score past experienced Leicester goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

“I just thought I should try and be as composed as I can be,” Missanga said.

“I saw the goal, it’s my time to get my goal. I’m just happy to be winning.

“It’s like, I don’t know how to describe it because everyone’s jumping on me. I was really happy.

“Obviously, I saw my family there.

READ MORE: Oxford United player ratings in 4-0 Leicester thrashing

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“I said I’d score for my older brother’s birthday today.

“I saw my little brother, so it was all good. I was really happy scoring in front of all the fans.

“It means a lot to me.”

Head coach Aaron Ramsey has shown a lot of trust in young Missanga, starting the starlet in back-to-back away games.

The Yellows boss broke through into senior football at a young age himself and is not afraid to give his young players the same opportunity.

“I think because he’s broken through, it gives a bit more trust into me,” Missanga pondered.

Mark Harris celebrates scoring his first against Leicester (Image: Oxford United)

“He always told me to be positive and to express myself.

“I think that [makes it] easier, to be able to come up here and play the best I can.

“So I’m really thankful for the opportunities he’s given me and the rest of the staff as well, because they all believe in me.

“You’re here now, just make sure you stay there…that’s what I’m thinking.

“Hopefully, I just keep getting more appearances.”