John Aldridge scores at Norwich in November 1986

Oxford United visit Carrow Road tomorrow evening hoping for an improvement on the good performance they put in against Middlesbrough on Saturday that saw the U’s earn a decent point against the team in second place.

Games against the Canaries away from home have generally favoured the side from Norfolk, although in the last five visits to Norwich the U’s have lost just once. Last season’s Friday night fixture in March saw Mark Harris score his most recent goal for United in a 1-1 draw, with Sparky’s strike coming from a Will Vaulks long throw that caused chaos among the City defenders.

The previous game at Carrow Road, in November 1998, was a battling 3-1 win, thanks to goals from Brian Wilsterman, Andy Thomson, and Dean Windass. United’s only other win there was in September 1996 and went down in infamy as ‘The Battle of Carrow Road’ with red cards, fighting in the tunnel and a wonderful blood and thunder League Cup tie the likes of which are rarely seen in today’s more sanitised football fixtures.

You can see United’s full record against Norwich – a club that dares sully the great colour yellow with slime green – can be found HERE.

On this Date

Generally speaking, United’s 25th November record is a positive one, with six wins, four defeats, and just one draw from the 11 games. Unfortunately, one of those defeats came in Oxford’s last match on this date, away to Cheltenham Town two years ago.

The only away win on 25th November came in Headington United’s first game on this date, at Barry Town in 1950. A more memorable victory was a 2-0 win at the Manor over Aston Villa in 1970,

All United’s games on 25th November can be seen HERE.

The Match

Like Boro, Norwich have recently had a change of manager, with a certain Liam Manning, once of this parish being given the boot by the team he supported as a nipper.

It was possibly one of the least surprising managerial sackings in recent history, given that Manning had presided over a unique record of eight successive home defeats from their eight home games this season. Their new gaffer is Philippe Clement, whose first game in charge continued the second-bottom side’s momentum with a 4-1 drubbing at Birmingham City.

Norwich have won just two Championship games all season, most recently at Blackburn Rovers on 30th August, and have picked up just three points in their last 12 games. They have scored just five goals at home (conceded 13) and sit five points adrift of the U’s.

Conversely, United’s record on the road is better than at the Kassam Stadium. They have earned seven points from both columns, but have found the net nine times away from home (conceded 11) as opposed to eight goals (12 conceded) in Oxford.

Of course, Oxford’s big miss will be that of talismanic midfielder Cameron Brannagan, forced off in the first half of Saturday’s game with a calf muscle injury. With Spencer Brodie and Matt Phillips both also sidelined, it will make Oxford’s task a little bit harder on Tuesday night.

However, on Saturday, Oxford did explore a couple of new options, with Tyler Goodrham recalled for the first time since August and Luke Harris starting in a yellow shirt for the first time. His reward being the goal that put United ahead against Boro.

In addition, Ole Romeny came off the bench for the second game in succession and Bulgaria international (and goalscorer) Filip Krastev also came on as a substitute and impressed.

So Oxford go into the game with some confidence restored, a mostly fit squad, and a decent away record, against a Norwich side where, despite a new manager, morale is at an all-time low among players and fans, with a record-beating zero points at home, and players who, by all accounts, played like strangers at St Andrews on Saturday.

What could possibly go wrong?