Oxford United and Swansea City will kick off their respective EFL Cup quests with Tuesday's first-round showdown at the Kassam Stadium.

Both sides have gone all the way in the tournament in the past, with the hosts coming up trumps in 1986 and the Championship outfit lifting the trophy in 2013.

Match preview

Oxford and Cambridge tend to have most of their battles on the river rather than the football pitch, but Karl Robinson's side earned the bragging rights in Saturday's League One clash courtesy of a narrow 1-0 triumph.

Tyler Goodrham was only given a few minutes to make an impact after being brought off the bench late on, but the 19-year-old lit up the Kassam Stadium with a 93rd-minute winner to hand his side their first three points of the season.

Oxford had kicked off proceedings in League One with defeat to Derby County by the same scoreline and now set out to make waves in the EFL Cup, where they managed to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the 1986 final, but their recent showings in the tournament have not been as memorable.

The U's have not been eliminated in the first round since the 2017-18 season and even reached the quarter-finals in 2019-20 before bowing out to Manchester City, and their run has ended in the second round in the past two cycles.

The Oxford fans enjoyed bountiful jubilation at the weekend, but the Liberty Stadium faithful witnessed their side be torn to shreds against a ruthless Blackburn Rovers side to leave them winless after two Championship matches this term.

Ben Brereton Diaz, Sammie Szmodics and Lewis Travis were on target for Blackburn as Russell Martin cut a bleak figure in the dugout, and the questions surrounding the Swans' style of play inevitably came the way of Martin.

Even those on the Rovers bench were allegedly having a pop, with Swansea boasting over 70% possession but still suffering a demoralising defeat, but Martin remained undeterred after the game as his side sit on one point from their opening two Championship games.

Since putting five past Bradford City in the 2012-13 EFL Cup final, Swansea have failed to make it past the last-16 stage of the competition, and their run in the 2021-22 tournament ended at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion in round three.

Swansea enjoyed the better of their meetings with Oxford during their days in the doldrums of League Two, but the U's ran out 3-2 winners when the sides last met in the third round of the 2015-16 FA Cup.

Team News

Oxford striker Sam Baldock is still on the recovery trial from a thigh injury and could miss out for the hosts once again alongside Yanic Wildschut, who is nursing a severe hamstring issue.

Alex Gorrin was only an unused substitute in the success over Cambridge United, while Leeds United loanee Lewis Bate will eye a start after playing 20 minutes at the weekend.

Nineteen-year-old Goodrham will also hope for an opportunity to impress from the off, but Robinson should still put out a strong XI against higher-league opposition.

Meanwhile, Swansea midfielder Joe Allen is working his way back from the hamstring issue he suffered on duty with Wales in June, but Martin should otherwise be fully-stocked for Tuesday's game.

Changes will certainly be in the offing for Martin's men here, with Steven Benda hoping to start as the last line of defence, while Ben Cabango could be recalled to the defence.

Jamie Paterson and Liam Cullen will be hoping to ignite a goal rush if the pair are granted opportunities in the final third, and Joel Piroe is also aiming to kickstart another prolific season here.

Oxford United possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown; Bate, McGuane, Brannagan; Bodin, Taylor, Murphy

Swansea City possible starting lineup:
Benda; Cabango, Naughton, Wood; Congreve, Fulton, Grimes, Manning; Piroe, Obafemi, Paterson

We say: Oxford United 0-2 Swansea City

A trip to lower-league opposition is just what the doctor ordered for Swansea as they aim to finally post a first win of the season, with Oxford yet to find a golden touch in front of goal.

The U's were indebted to a teenage hero at the weekend and can be expected to put out an experienced side here, but we cannot see Swansea suffering a shock early defeat.

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