Exeter City vs Oxford United Prediction: U’s can progress

Both Exeter City and Oxford United will fancy their chances of reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup as they meet at St James Park at 15:00. The hosts sit 14th in League 1 and Gary Caldwell will hope to end a run of three games without a win. 

Meanwhile, Oxford have done well recently under Gary Rowett and will hope to keep their momentum going with a win in the cup. Below you can find my Exeter City vs Oxford United prediction. 

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Shaun MacDonald is likely to come into the Exeter team in goal, but it depends how many changes Caldwell wants to make ahead of this cup game. The manager himself was sent off against Wycombe recently and has been charged by the FA so could face a touchline ban. Meanwhile, the results haven’t been great in the league so perhaps he will choose to make wholesale changes, with Jack Aitchison, Millenic Alli, Patrick Jones and Ilmari Niskanen all in line for a start. 

Josh Magennis is now 34 so may be given a rest up top, while the same could be said of Ryan Woods in midfield. England U20 international Kamari Doyle should also get some minutes, and is a promising young talent on loan from Brighton. 

For Oxford, I’d expect Rowett to take a look at some of the members of his squad that haven’t been given regular starts since he came through the door. The likes of Dane Scarlett, Louie Sibley, Hidde ter Avest, Jordan Thorniley, Owen Dale and Josh McEachran will all fancy their chances of picking up minutes, while Matt Ingram should start in goal. 

This season is all about survival for the U’s, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a whole new XI named by the Oxford boss. They’ve got a decent level of squad depth, and it is time that the fringe players got a chance to flex their muscles. 

Exeter City vs Oxford United Odds 

Exeter are priced at 9/5 to win this game, giving them an implied win probability of 35% for this cup tie. Oxford United have won three of their last four and are available at 6/4, while a draw can be backed at 12/5. 

Both teams to score is 4/7 and has come in during 56% of Oxford’s games, while over 2.5 goals is 4/6 while Mark Harris is 6/1 to open the scoring and add to the five goals he has scored already this season. 

BTTS Yes @ 4/7

I think we could see a lot of rotation from these two squads, but I still think there will be plenty of goals. Exeter have seen both teams score in each of their last seven games and that gives me good reason to believe that up against a team from the league above, that run will continue. 

Oxford saw both teams score against Preston last time out and with players like Scarlett striving to nail down a spot in the first team, I think they will be able to find a goal. Exeter have been decent in front of goal of late, and this should be an entertaining encounter between two attack-minded teams. 

Oxford United to win @ 6/4

I will back the Championship team to get the job done in 90 minutes, based on the results and performances they have been putting in under Rowett. Eyebrows were raised when they parted company with Des Buckingham last month, but results are the only thing that matters for them this term, and they have done well since the new man came in. 

Three wins and one draw in their last four games have taken them up to 17th in the table, and I think despite the expected changes, they will be able to beat an Exeter outfit that is leaking goals left, right and centre. I think the U’s can book themselves a place in the fourth round with a comfortable victory. 

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