Sunderland v Oxford United: The three key dangermen threatening to end 11-game unbeaten run

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Last time the sides met the Wearsiders came out on top thanks to goals from Luke O’Nien and Lynden Gooch in the second matchday of the campaign.

Oxford will be looking to rectify the 2-0 loss this time round, while Sunderland will be aiming to move into the top two over the Easter weekend.

Matty Taylor Forward

A general view of play during the Sky Bet League One match between Oxford United and Lincoln City at Kassam Stadium.

The U’s top goalscorer from last season has already beaten his tally this year with 14 goals so far.

His ability of putting the ball in the back of the net is one of the main reasons the Yellows have been play-off contenders over the last two seasons.

Taylor had a run of six goals in four games at the back end of the 2019/20 campaign as they propelled to the play-off final, only to lose 2-1 to Wycombe Wanderers in the final.

After a run of 13 games without a goal the ex-Bristol Rovers striker grabbed a brace against Doncaster Rovers as well as scoring in his side’s victory of Lincoln City last time out.

He is often the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 with a reliance on him to be available in the box and ready to score.

Elliott Moore, Defender

The 6ft 4inch central defender is an obvious threat in the air with the 24-year-old looking to add to his impressive goal tally, this time against the Black Cats.

Moore already has four goals to his name this season, that includes a brace against Rochdale which helped his team to a 3-1 win.

While in the starting lineup, his side have 11 clean sheets which will need to be matched if they are to stop the likes of Charlie Wyke and Aiden McGeady.

The former England Under-20 international also has three assists to his name, showing the sort of problems he can cause to teams further up the pitch.

He started his career in Leicester City’s before going to the Netherlands and ended up at Oxford in 2019 with the defender hoping to help his side get out the third division.

Olamide Shodipo, Forward

The Irish winger has impressed at his loanee club this season after joining on loan from QPR at the start of the season.

Shodipo is United’s second top goalscorer behind Matty Taylor with nine goals from the channels.

The versatile trickster can play across the front line with his blistering pace allowing the Us to hit teams on the counter-attack.

He often cuts in onto his favourite right-foot before looking to curl the ball across goal dragging the full-backs inside and allowing players to overlap.

Between Shodipo and Taylor, the visitors could cause trouble with their attacking threat if Sunderland aren’t careful.

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