Preview | Oxford United v Swansea City
Swansea City round off 2025 with a trip to the Kassam Stadium as they face Oxford United this evening (7.45pm).
The Swans will look to end a five-game losing streak on their travels, having seen improved performances away from home frustratingly yield no points.
They take on an Oxford side buoyed by their Boxing Day win over Southampton under caretaker boss Craig Short.
Team news
Swansea City are waiting on the fitness of Adam Idah after the striker was forced to miss the Boxing Day clash with Coventry due to a muscle injury.
The Republic of Ireland international was still being assessed as the Swans wait to discover the extent of the issue.
There were no other injury concerns reported following the defeat at the CBS Arena.
Oxford, meanwhile, will hope to have Matt Phillips and captain Cameron Brannagan return from thigh and calf problems respectively.
Pre-match views
Vitor Matos: "We played each other recently and we got the win, but we need to treat this as a completely different game.
"They have a different manager, they are at home, so it is going to be a different task to the one we had at home.
"We know it will be a tough one with just a couple of days in between and a lot of travelling.
"So the most important thing for us now is to recover well, understand what we can take forward from the Coventry game and also look back at the last game against Oxford and the dynamics, while also realising that with the change of manager there will be things that are different."
Craig Short: "As a club we worked so hard last season to stay up and we have another chance in one of the best leagues in the world.
"We are an underdog, and we will play team with more resources than us, but what we can do is make this place (Kassam Stadium) like it was against Southampton.
"That is the challenge for Monday against Swansea. It's not just about raising yourselves for Ipswich, Sheffield United or Southampton, we have to beat the other sides around us in the division, as well.
"That is going to be the test for us on Monday."
Meet the officials
Adam Herczeg will be the man with the whistle when Swansea City head to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford United on Monday night (7.45pm).
This will be the second time the Durham referee has taken charge of the Swans, having taken charge of our home win over Norwich City.
PGMO Development Group official Herczeg has been refereeing since the age of 15. He took charge of his first EFL Championship fixture in March 2024.
He has officiated 14 games across the EFL this campaign, handing out 56 yellow cards and two red cards.
On Monday, he will be assisted by Andrew Fox and Shaun Hudson. Andrew Kitchen will be the fourth official.
Remember the last time?
Swansea City returned to winning ways and ended Oxford United’s unbeaten home record as Žan Vipotnik and Florian Bianchini got the goals on their last visit to the Kassam Stadium.
The Slovenian striker turned in his second goal for the Swans seven minutes before the interval, meeting Ronald’s cross after an outstanding run by Josh Key had carried play from one end of the field to the other.
The visitors had chances to extend their lead, with Myles Peart-Harris hitting the crossbar, Gonçalo Franco being denied by the keeper and Viptonik going agonisingly close to his second of the game.
But they took one late on when substitute Bianchini raced onto a through ball and sent a low right-footed effort across the keeper and into the net for his first goal for the club.
Dane Scarlett pulled one back for Oxford with two minutes to play but the Swans saw out the game to claim victory.
Prime numbers
6 - Swansea are unbeaten in their last six league games against Oxford United, winning four and drawing two.
52 - It is 52 years since Swansea City won two league games against the same opposition in the same month. If they can secure three points at the Kassam Stadium they will achieve that feat for the first time since doing so against Watford in February 1973.