Oxford United welcome Ipswich Town on Saturday as the chase for the play-offs hots up still further.
An important win at Shrewsbury last week kept United in fourth place in the Sky Bet League 1 table but Ipswich are chasing the pack and Karl Robinson believes Saturday will be one of the toughest games of the season for the U’s.
“I can’t wait for it” he told iFollow. “It’s a massive game for both teams and we are so excited for it. There will be a full house and we know the excitement around the day. We honestly can’t wait for it. We know their Coach well, I know a lot of their players personally, and it’s interesting for me to come up against a Manager I’ve not been against before. It’s going to take time for him to implement his ideas but they are going well and it will be one of the hardest games of the season.
“They are a club who should be above us and we are very proud to be where we are in terms of some very big teams in this league.
“Like Oxford, Ipswich had great years in the 80s and like any club the history becomes embedded in the people around the place and among the fans. It’s like me as a kid: I never saw a Bill Shankly side or Bob Paisley’s Liverpool, but I know everything about them through my grandfather, my dad, my mum. It’s important to respect that but at the same time with the way the game is moving and evolving you have got to have your own way of doing things to move forward. Ipswich will be doing that and will find a way, like we have done.”
United will have a few more options after illness and injury ruled key players out last weekend. Goalkeeper Jack Stevens is one of those definitely available again.
“Jack didn’t have covid” Karl confirmed “he was one of a few who went down with a really bad cold. It’s that time of year I suppose. So he should be back and we should have players available after their five days away from us, as well as James Henry who has been back in training. We will have over 10,000 fans for the fifth game in six home ones, we are top scorers in the division, and we have lost once in six, so it’s not a bad time to be an Oxford fan.”
Not a bad time to be an Oxford fan indeed. Join us on Saturday for the big match
- CLICK HERE for tickets
- Call 01865 337533
- Or visit the Ticket Office.
See the full interview with Karl plus the thoughts of Simon Eastwood and Ryan Williams in the Preview Show, all in iFollow right now.