Oxford United could be dragged back into the relegation battle should they lose against Derby County in the Championship at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday.
The home team are third last in 22nd place with just 28 points and currently occupy the last relegation spot, whereas Oxford are in 17th place with 37 points and lost 1-0 against Burnley in the league on February 4.
Match preview
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Derby held Norwich City to a 1-1 draw on Saturday in the league, equalising in the 89th minute from the penalty spot, but they produced just one shot on target other than their penalty.
The match was Matthew Hamshaw's first game in charge as caretaker manager following Paul Warne's dismissal, but it is reported that the club have made an official approach to Blackburn Rovers for boss John Eustace.
If Eustace were to leave Blackburn, he would be joining a side that have not scored in five of their last nine games, though their record of 42 goals conceded in the league is at least the joint third-best return in the Championship's bottom nine.
Derby's stalemate with Norwich brought to an end an eight-match losing run in all competitions, and it was their first point in the Championship in eight games.
The Rams have also lost their past four games at home without scoring and have been beaten in six of their eight most recent fixtures at Pride Park Stadium.
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As for Oxford, though they were only beaten by Burnley due to Michal Helik's 33rd-minute own goal, they were fortunate that the Clarets failed to convert any of their 15 shots – all of which came from inside the penalty area.
The Yellows were held to a 1-1 draw by Derby County in the league on October 22, a match in which neither side created a single big chance.
Head coach Gary Rowett will be concerned that his team have only scored once in their past three fixtures, as well as the fact that only five clubs have averaged less than his side's 1.1 goals per game in the second tier.
Oxford are winless in their last three outings – losing one and drawing two – but their defeat against Burnley was only their second in 11 games, winning five and drawing four in that time.
Rowett's side have been poor away from home this campaign, succumbing to defeat in 11 of their 17 matches on the road while winning just one, though they have only been beaten on two occasions in their last six away games.
Team News
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Debry centre-back Curtis Nelson has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, while wing-back Kane Wilson will also miss out on Tuesday.
Sondre Klingen Langas, Nathaniel Phillips and Matthew Clarke are likely to be fielded in central defence, and it would not be surprising if Liam Thompson and Ben Osborn flanked the trio.
Attackers Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and Kenzo Goudmijn all started against Norwich and may do so again on Tuesday given Corey Blackett-Taylor and Dajaune Brown are unavailable.
Oxford are expected to be without centre-backs Ben Nelson and Elliott Moore, as well as winger Max Woltman, until the middle of this month, but those three are the visitors' only injury concerns.
Helik and Ciaron Brown both featured in defence against Burnley, and they performed well despite the loss, so perhaps the duo will appear together again against Derby.
Striker Tom Bradshaw is likely to start up front, and he may be flanked by wingers Przemyslaw Placheta and Tyler Goodrham.
Derby County possible starting lineup:
Zetterstrom; Langas, Phillips, Clarke; Thompson, Adams, Ozoh, Osborn; Mendez-Laing, Salvesen, Goudmijn
Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Long, Helik, Brown, Leigh; Vaulks, Brannagan; Placheta, Matos, Goodrham; Bradshaw
We say: Derby County 0-2 Oxford United
Considering the uncertainty surrounding the club, Derby may be nervous coming into the clash and Oxford may take advantage.
While the visitors have been poor away from home, they have started to lose less on the road and their face hosts have struggled to score goals at Pride Park Stadium.
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Lewis Nolan
