Oxford United have promotion from League Two in their sights but they wouldn’t mind an FA Cup giant-klling to their name either and perhaps they’ll achieve one on Sunday.
Swansea City travel west along the M4 to the Kassam Stadium looking to be only the second visiting side to triumph there this season and they do so under the management of Alan Curtis who has been placed in charge until the end of the season.
Curtis took over when former Swans manager Garry Monk was given the boot in December and he’s done OK, the two losses suffered in five matches coming by the narrowest margin against the two Manchester clubs, but Swansea are struggling to score and Oxford are usually excellent defensively on home soil.
The Welsh club have netted just three goals during the new man’s brief reign and it is just five goals scored in nine matches away from the Liberty Stadium, two of which came at hapless Aston Villa back in October.
In Oxford the Premier League side face a team from the fourth tier of English football but they are coached by the excellent Michael Appleton and have League One football next year as a very realistic target.
Just three points adrift of Plymouth at the summit ahead of this welcome distraction, United have conceded just eight times in 12 home fixtures so far this term and it is just two losses in front of their own fans in 26 clashes in all competitions.
Of course this represent a significant step up in class for the hosts but Curtis may well choose to rest a few key men with a massive Premier League match against Sunderland on Wednesday looming large and Oxford can at least force a replay in one of the weekend’s more third round intriguing ties.
3pts Lay Swansea (vs. Oxford United) @ 2.00 (Betfair)