A sold-out Kassam Stadium provides the backdrop for an FA Cup fourth-round tie that carries two very different kinds of urgency, as Oxford United host Sunderland on Sunday 15 February with a 2:00pm kick-off. For the Championship strugglers, it is a chance to temporarily step away from relegation pressure and lean into the “nothing to lose” energy that can power a cup run; for the Premier League side, it is a stern reminder that knockout football rarely grants favours, especially when recent form needs a reset and the expectation to progress follows you into every tackle.
The mood around Oxford has been shaped by a bruising last outing, a 3–0 home defeat to Norwich City on Tuesday 10 February that was effectively decided by a Mohamed Toure hat-trick, including a goal inside the opening minute. That result left little room for comfort, but cup football has a habit of offering clean slates, and the club’s own match preview framed this fixture as an opportunity to spark momentum and restore a feel-good atmosphere—something results have made hard to sustain in recent weeks. The challenge is to turn that emotional reset into an on-pitch response, particularly against opponents who can punish mistakes quickly.
Sunderland arrive with their own mixed message from midweek. A 1–0 defeat at home to Liverpool on Wednesday 11 February ended their unbeaten home record in the Premier League, settled by Virgil van Dijk’s second-half header. Even so, the performance contained enough encouragement to avoid panic, and Oxford’s preview noted the visitors have enjoyed an “excellent campaign to date” despite a dip across the last five games, which has coincided with a slide down the table. In other words, there is still plenty of quality and structure, but also a sense that this cup trip is being viewed as a good moment to steady the ship.
How both teams reached this stage adds to the sense that nerves could play a role if the tie stays tight. Oxford progressed from the third round by beating MK Dons on penalties after extra time, with Will Lankshear scoring the equaliser and goalkeeper Matt Ingram producing a crucial save in the shoot-out.
Sunderland also went the distance, drawing 1–1 away at Everton before winning a penalty shoot-out in which the home side missed their first three kicks while the visitors converted theirs. With no replay to provide a safety net, the shared experience of surviving spot-kicks may linger in the background if the match drifts toward a tense finish.
Team news gives the hosts a few boosts alongside clear setbacks. Lankshear returns following a one-game suspension, and the club says Jack Currie and Jamie Donley “could be available” again after injury spells. There are also confirmed absences, with Brian De Keersmaecker, Tyler Goodrham, Nik Prelec, Hidde ter Avest and Greg Leigh listed as unavailable. That combination—key players missing, others possibly returning—often shapes the rhythm of a cup tie, particularly in midfield battles and on the flanks where continuity matters.
Sunderland’s biggest injury concern is clearly flagged too. Club captain Granit Xhaka has missed the last four games with an ankle injury and is again described as unlikely to be fit for this one, while Bertrand Traore and January signing Jocelin Ta Bi are also expected to miss out through injury. Those absences do not strip away the Premier League side’s threat, but they can influence balance and leadership, especially in the type of match where the home crowd feeds off every successful tackle and every moment of hesitation.
Form guides suggest a contest with just enough instability to make it interesting. Oxford’s last-five snapshot is listed as W1 D1 L3, while Sunderland’s is W2 D0 L3. That doesn’t tell the whole story, but it does hint at why both camps may see this as a valuable pivot point—either a confidence injection for a relegation fight or a statement that top-flight standards still travel to awkward grounds.
Key men stand out on both sides, and the goal threat is neatly framed by the clubs themselves. Oxford’s leading scorer this season is Lankshear with seven goals, and the preview specifically points to January signing Jin Woo Jeon as a player pushing to make a stronger impression after a lively cameo on his debut against Norwich. For Sunderland, the top scorer listed is Brian Brobbey with five goals, while the club’s broader identity under Régis Le Bris is described as high energy, structured pressing and quick transitions—an approach that can look especially dangerous against teams who take risks to chase an upset.
The tactical question, then, is whether Oxford can turn home advantage into sustained pressure without opening the door to the kind of transition game Sunderland prefer. If the Championship side can keep the contest messy—winning second balls, making set pieces count, and keeping the scoreline level into the second half—the atmosphere will do real work, and the pressure will gradually tilt onto the visitors. Should Sunderland find early control, the aim will be to quiet the stadium, force the home side into longer defensive spells, and let quality in the final third make the difference before nerves have time to grow.
With a fifth-round place on the line and both teams already having leaned on penalties to get here, the sense of jeopardy is built in. Sunday’s tie is exactly the sort the FA Cup specialises in: a home crowd hoping for freedom and a story, and a Premier League team carrying expectation into a ground determined to make every minute uncomfortable.
