Stoke vs Oxford United prediction 25.02.2026 | Championship

Since being relegated from the Premier League in the 2017/18 season, Stoke have consistently been a mid-table team in the Championship, finishing between 14th and 18th. This year, the Potters looked absolutely great at the start, spending the first 19 rounds in the playoff spots. It seemed they could finally get involved in the promotion race. Unfortunately, since then, they really struggled and dropped to 16th place - seven points away from the playoffs. 

After a 2:2 draw with Leicester, coach Mark Robins spoke to the media. He said they played well in patches but also lacked energy after the break, which eventually led to surrendering their lead. The coach said they are dealing with injuries and noted that it is a big part of their poor results. According to credible sources, the Potters could be without up to nine players due to injuries for the Oxford Utd game. 

Oxford United secured promotion to the Championship in the 2023/24 season and managed to survive in the following season, finishing 17th. This year, their goal is pretty much the same - only to survive. However, this season, that doesn't seem likely. The U's even tried to change the negative momentum with the coaching change in mid-January. After an initial few good results, they again started losing and are now 23rd with 29 points from 33 rounds. The U's are only five points away from the safe zone, but their current form is a major concern.

After a 0:0 draw with Middlesbrough, coach Matt Bloomfield spoke to the media. He was very proud of the point they earned against a strong Middlesbrough side. The coach said they executed the game plan well and stuck to their strengths, but noted M'boro pretty much dominated the second half.