Oxford united FC
Oxford United relegation odds as Leicester set for lifeline
The U’s sit 23rd in the second tier on 39 points, with Leicester City one place above them on goal difference.
Outside the relegation zone sit Portsmouth on 40 points whilst West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers are above on 43.
Oxford have had the best run of form prior to last weekend’s defeat to Southampton, going four games unbeaten with three wins and a draw.
However, Sky Bet still has Matt Bloomfield’s men as favourites to go down with 4/11 odds.
Pompey are second favourites (4/5) for relegation and Leicester third (11/8).
Over the remaining seven fixtures, data from OLBG estimates that the Yellows have the 13th most difficult games remaining, giving them a mixed chance of survival, with a difficulty rating of 57.7.
The U’s still have Pompey to play in their possibly their biggest game before the end of the season and the hosting of already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday in the penultimate match will see them expected to win three points.
The other games against Hull City, Wrexham, Derby County, Watford and Millwall all remain tough, but Oxford have proved they can take points off anyone this season.
Elsewhere, Gary Rowett’s Leicester are tipped as having the second-kindest run-in of the Championship, with Wednesday, Blackburn, and Pompey all still to play.
Blackburn and Pompey, though, have the equal fourth-most difficult fixtures left with clashes with the likes of league leaders Coventry City and former Premier League Ipswich Town on the horizon.
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Since their defeat to the U’s, West Brom’s form has surprisingly picked up after the toxicity in the away end at the Kassam, with the Baggies picking up two draws before two wins in their previous couple of games.
They now sit at 6/1 to go down with Sky Bet.
As Oxford’s relegation rivals undergo turbulence heading into the final run of Championship matches, the Yellows have something that their competitors perhaps do not: unity.
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In their recent impressive run, Bloomfield’s men have looked cohesive and harmonious on the pitch and have found consistency in their performances at long last.
This could not have been said for West Brom and Blackburn’s visits to OX4 in which they were toxic and disjointed.
Both have picked up results here and there since playing Oxford, but the unity and underdog mentality that the Yellows have is something that they must lean into to come at the relegation battle from an angle that their opponents cannot manage.
The 35-year-old was appointed into his first head coach role in June, taking over at United from Matt Bloomfield after retiring from professional football in April.
Ramsey has enjoyed a successful start to his tenure in OX4 so far, securing four wins from four pre-season fixtures, including a 2-0 victory over Premier League side Ipswich Town.
The former Gunners midfielder has also had to manage the squad amidst a temporary transfer ban which sees Oxford unable to register any new player until they prove compliance with the EFL’s Squad Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) regulations.
The ex-Wales international played under some world-renowned managers during his successful playing career in the likes of Wenger, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery and former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri.
“Arsene was a huge part of the success that I had as a player,” the Yellows head coach detailed after the pre-season win over Ipswich.
“And obviously, I took so much from him as well, from the manager side of things.
“But I’ve been very lucky and blessed to have played for some really good managers over the years, which I’ve taken little bits from as well.
“So, yes, I wouldn’t just say it’s all him, but definitely he’s formed part of that.”
Similarly to Wenger, Ramsey possesses a calm demeanour on the touchline, more often than not on the edge of his technical area with the occasional instruction directed at a player or the team as a whole.
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He is visibly calm and contemplative, something which he himself acknowledges.
“I think that’s me as a player, though. I’ve always been quite calm and comfortable in situations. So for me, that’s the way that I am.
“And I want my players to feel that and to feel like they can go out there and express themselves.
“So, yes, when they play like that [against Ipswich], it does make it a lot easier for me on the side lines.
“I think we need to be confident in what we’re trying to do for us to be able to really showcase exactly what we can do.
“It’s that confidence which is important without stepping over the line, but we need to embrace that.”
The U’s begin their campaign this Saturday with a Carabao Cup clash with League One rivals Leyton Orient.
Ramsey will be hoping his side can take the confidence and impressive performances from pre-season into the competitive campaign.
League action begins a week later, with the Yellows hosting newly-promoted MK Dons at the Kassam on the opening day.
The U’s return to the third tier after a two-year stay in the Championship, suffering relegation last term with a 22nd-placed finish under Matt Bloomfield.
The club revealed their new home strip last month and have worn it twice during pre-season when they beat Crawley Town 3-1 and Ipswich Town 2-0 at the Kassam Stadium.
Oxford’s away kit was released with a video on social media titled ‘Performance Inspires’, the shirt being inspired by Oxford’s performing arts, with a ballet performance filmed at Oxford New Theatre.
The video is soundtracked by a reimagined take on Oxford band Foals’ song ‘What Went Down’.
The shirt is available to buy online and in-store.
The 32-year-old midfielder joined United in 2024 and played 88 games for the club, scoring two goals.
His last goal for the club came in the final home game of last season, a 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
On 14 January 2025, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 league draw away against Plymouth Argyle.
He will now join Tranmere who are in League Two.
The Wales international did not make any senior appearances for Tranmere in his first spell but has signed a two-year deal with the club.
The U’s are in the midst of a temporary transfer embargo and will not currently be able to replace the midfielder.
As well as his contributions on the pitch, Vaulks was also a pioneer in the Oxfordshire community, using his personal story to establish the award-winning Can We Talk? suicide prevention campaign.
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He introduced a suicide prevention check-in app for staff, delivered training to employees and supporters, and led workshops across the county, including at RAF Brize Norton.
He was nationally and internationally recognised for his campaigning, winning awards including the FIFPRO Player Voice and was recently named PFA Community Player of the Year.
Vaulks made seven appearances for Wales, his most recent coming in a 1-1 draw with Czechia in 2022.
Oxford United begin their League One campaign next week with a home clash against MK Dons after suffering relegation from the second tier last season.
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