Oxford United

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United manager Gary Rowett spoke to BBC Radio Oxford after the 3-2 defeat at Hull City

"We changed the shape several times just to try and give ourselves a little bit more of a foothold," he said.

"Of course they start and score a goal early, which is very disappointing from our perspective, and then to come in at half-time - I thought we rode our luck really first half.

"We ended up scoring two very good goals, both from set-pieces, but ultimately we probably should have been a couple more goals down because it was far too easy for them to open us up and create chances.

"[We] Switched to a five [at the back in the] second half to give us a bit of grip in the game defensively.

"We didn't get up the pitch enough, but I don't think they had many big chances. I thought we looked quite solid. You expect to see the game out."

Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford's Oxford United commentator

Image source, Rex Features

It is not built yet and there are hurdles still to negotiate, but the decision by Cherwell District Council to grant planning permission for Oxford United's new stadium at The Triangle is a seismic moment.

The odds of it being built have now tipped in the club's favour - for they no longer have the burden of proof to contend with.

Over the past two and half years, they have had to demonstrate that the site was viable, and that they had a plan for traffic and travel and the ecology of the site.

Often they have been trying to prove a negative – that there would NOT be problems. It has been United that have had to pay handsomely to do so. Now that burden is on the shoulders of those who will still seek to derail it.

The 14-1 vote in the planning committee was - after an exhaustive four-and-a-half hour, single issue meeting - emphatic. Even opponents concede that the mood music from central government suggests that it will be signed off by the secretary of state.

The granting of planning permission triggers a further one-year extension to the license agreement at the Kassam Stadium (pictured) – 2028 is now the hard deadline to move out, but the new stadium does not just build itself.

Funds of more than £100m need to be raised – a very significant financial challenge to a club that all the while has to fight tooth and nail to sustain its Championship status.

So does it happen? Oxford supporters have known for ever that the club owning its own stadium is key to its sustainability. They have put their collective shoulders to the wheel, behind the know-how of its board, its staff, and the financial investment of its owners.

Millions of pounds have been ploughed into the planning process, exactly because a new stadium is so vital to the club's future.

I am reminded of that Oxford United banner at Wembley last year: "We haven't come this far to only come this far."

Right now, finally, the club has wrested back control of its own destiny.

Two sides seeking their first win go head-to-head at the MKM Stadium on Sunday (15:00 BST) as Oxford United head to Hull City.

Sergej Jakirovic's Tigers picked up a battling point from a stalemate at Coventry on the opening day, but the U's went down 1-0 at home to Portsmouth in their first game.

• Hull City are unbeaten across their past nine home league games against Oxford United (W6 D3), winning each of their last three in succession whilst netting 2+ goals in each.

• Oxford United have only won one of their past five Football League games against Hull City (D1 L3); a 1-0 victory at home in November last season.

• Hull have lost their opening home game of a league season in just two of the prior 13 seasons (W9 D2), a run which has seen them concede just 14 goals in total.

• Oxford last lost each of their opening two league games of a season back in 2020-21, though have avoided that fate in each of their last six campaigns in the second tier.

• Last season in the Championship, only relegated Plymouth (48) attempted fewer shots on target on the road than Oxford (61), with the U's also recording the second-fewest touches in the opposition's penalty area (306).

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford boss Gary Rowett felt his side could have taken a point from the 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth - and did not blame Cameron Brannagan for his error that led to the only goal.

Midfielder Brannagan lost the ball in the build-up to Adrian Segecic's winner.

Rowett said: "It was one mistake and that was the main factor in the game.

"Other than that Portsmouth edged the game without creating a lot of moments, but one mistake gives them that little bit of impetus to hold on to, and they defended well.

"The last 20 minutes was exactly what you would hope - there was more of an edge to us and more quality, there were some great balls in the box and more shots.

"From that last 20 minutes I thought we deserved something from the game."

After coming up together from League One in 2023-24, Oxford United and Portsmouth meet to begin their second season back in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 BST).

John Mousinho, who ended his playing career with a six-season stint at the Kassam Stadium, guided Pompey to a strong finish to their last campaign, eventually finishing 16th, one point and one place ahead of Gary Rowett's U's.

• Oxford United are winless across their last seven league games against Portsmouth (D4 L3), since a 3-2 victory in February 2022.

• After winning this exact fixture 2-0 last season, Portsmouth will be looking to win successive away league games against Oxford United for the first time since September 1981.

• This will be the fourth time that Oxford have met Portsmouth on the opening day of a Football League campaign, winning each of their prior three meetings whilst scoring 3+ goals in 1987, 1993 and 2013.

• Portsmouth have lost their opening league game in just one of the last 11 seasons (W4 D6), remaining unbeaten across their last five in succession (W1 D4).

• Only Plymouth (12) earned fewer points away from home in the Championship last season than Portsmouth (14 – W3 D5 L15), with only Luton (16) losing more on the road than Pompey.

Middlesbrough and Oxford United are vying for Luton Town striker Cauley Woodrow, 30, who spent time on loan at Blackburn last season. (SportsBoom, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford's Oxford United commentator

Image source, Rex Features

When Oxford United started their first season back in the Championship, nine of their starting XI had played for them in the League One play-off final. There was some trepidation as the U's took on a division they'd been out of for a quarter of a century.

They may have surprised even themselves by how they eased to safety under Gary Rowett. When they kick off the new campaign this weekend, there's every chance at least eight of the starters will have proved themselves in the Championship with Oxford last season.

Those who didn't – summer signings Brodie Spencer and Brian De Keersmaecker and maybe defender Jack Currie, who is back from a stellar loan at Leyton Orient, all look ready to go at this level. They have a good team.

Yet there is a feeling that United may be a little undercooked going into the opener against Portsmouth.

A pre-season tour to Indonesia allowed them to make friends and gain influence there, but ate into the available time for the sort of intense fitness work that a Rowett summer usually entails. There have also been disruptive injuries which have impacted squad depth at a time when it should be at its best.

United arrived back in the county's consciousness last summer – they are THE story, although there is as much talk about the pending decision about a new stadium as there is about the new season.

The way for Oxford to succeed over the next nine months will be to somehow combine their underdog mentality of last year with a swagger that comes from knowing the Championship ropes. Can you have both? We are about to find out.

A year ago Oxford were at the bottom of most people's predicted final table, but finished 17th.

The Championship does look more competitive this year, but the average prediction I have seen this time around places the U's just above the relegation zone. Funnily enough, Oxford fans might be more comfortable if they had again been completely written off!