Rovers take on Oxford United on Saturday looking to make it five straight wins in Sky Bet League One.
Darren Moore’s side produced a battling display to beat promotion chasing Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium last time out.
Oxford’s recent form
The U’s are the division’s form team having won all of their previous six matches, stretching back to a 2-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon on Boxing Day. They ended 2020 with a 3-2 win at Plymouth Argyle, before securing another three points in their first game of the new year on the road at Burton Albion.
Their form has continued to improve since then, with a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers followed up by a 4-3 win at Rochdale, before they beat Fleetwood Town in their last league outing.
The man in charge
Former MK Dons and Charlton Athletic manager was appointed as Oxford boss in March 2018, replacing Pep Clotet in the role. Since his appointment, Robinson has been in charge of 152 Oxford managers, winning 63, drawing 43 and losing 46, giving him an overall win percentage of 41.4%.
Ones to watch
Josh Ruffels
After coming through the ranks at Coventry City, Ruffels joined Oxford on a free transer in the summer of 2013. Since then, the left-back has gone on to make almost 250 appearances for the club, including help the team establish themselves at Sky Bet League One level after promotion in the 2015/16 campaign.
The 27-year-old has a good eye for goal, and bagged the winner in their last outing against Fleetwood Town to continue a run of four goals in his past five games.
Cameron Brannagan
A product of the Liverpool academy, Brannagan made three first-team appearances for the Premier League champions before joining Oxford on a permanent deal in January 2018. Prior to that move, he had already gained some EFL experience after spending six months on loan at Fleetwood.
Since his arrival at the Kassam Stadium, the 24-year-old has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the division, with Oxford working hard to retain his services in recent transfer windows.
Matty Taylor
The Oxford-born striker began his career with his hometown club before signing for Forest Green Rovers in 2011. After three years at The New Lawn, Taylor signed for Bristol Rovers when they were playing in the National League. He scored 20 goals in his first season with the GAS, before bagging 28 the season after, which helped them to back-to-back promotions into Sky Bet League One.
19 goals in the first-half of the campaign saw him coveted by plenty of clubs in higher divisions, but it was rivals Bristol City who secured his services in January 2017. His time on the red side of the City struggled to get off the ground though, and he returned to Oxford, initially on loan, in the summer of 2019. The 30-year-old found the back of the net 17 times in his first season back at the Kassam Stadium, helping the club reach the play-off final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Wycombe Wanderers.
He penned a permanent deal in the summer, and has already scored 11 times so far this season.
Last time out
It is more than a year since the two sides last met, with Reece James scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 victory for Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium back on New Year’s Day 2020.
More ahead of this match
