Swansea vs Oxford predictions: Swans can sign off with home victory
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- Swansea have won their last three home games to nil
- Oxford won only one of their last 12 away matches
- Recommended bet: Swansea to win 2-0
Oxford can breathe a huge sigh of relief after securing their place in the Championship for a second season and it would be understandable if their performance level dropped now their main goal is accomplished.
Gary Rowett's side pulled themselves four points clear of the relegation zone with their 2-0 home win over Sunderland last week, when they benefited from facing a side who are firmly locked into fourth place.
Like Oxford, Swansea appear to have improved for a change in the dugout this season, with Alan Sheehan this week named their permanent head coach after taking 23 points from his 12 games as caretaker.
The Swans had won five in a row before going down 1-0 at play-off hopefuls Millwall last week but they could still secure a top-10 finish if they can overhaul West Brom, who are one point ahead of them.
Team news
Swansea are set to be without Josh Ginnelly, Kristian Pedersen and Myles Peart-Harris due to injury and Harry Darling is not expected to feature either.
Zan Vipotnik is in contention for a start after making substitute appearances in the last two matches. Sheehan will be in charge for the first time since being named the club's permanent head coach.
Oxford are still without Idris El Mizouni, Ciaron Brown and Siriki Dembele, while Will Vaulks has undergone ankle surgery.
Hidde ter Avest was able to make an appearance off the bench against Sunderland after being sidelined for the previous two weeks.
The stats
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No more than one team has scored in Swansea's last eight home matches.
Swansea have won to nil in five of their last six home games.
There have been under 2.5 goals in eight of Swansea's last 11 fixtures.
Oxford have won only two of their 22 Championship away games this season.
Oxford have not scored more than one goal in any of their last 19 matches on the road.
Swansea have scored exactly two goals in their last three meetings with Oxford.
Prediction
The mood at the Swansea.com Stadium should be positive after the appointment this week of Sheehan as permanent head coach and the former Notts County and Luton defender will be expecting another clean sheet from his side.
Sheehan has vastly improved the Swans' defensive performances and they have kept seven clean sheets in his 12 matches as caretaker, with promoted pair Burnley and Leeds the only teams to score more than once against them in that time.
Swansea have won to nil against Derby, Plymouth and Hull in their last three home games and Oxford have been mixing it with those sides in the lower reaches of the table.
Rowett has done a fine job to keep United's head above water in a wide-open relegation fight but it would be understandable if his players ease off on the final day and 11 of their 13 league wins this season have come at the Kassam Stadium.
With safety secured, influential midfielder Will Vaulks has taken the opportunity to undergo surgery on an ankle issue and he will be missed after making 46 appearances this season.
Swansea won the teams' first meeting this season 2-1 in November, when Oxford scored an 88th-minute consolation goal, and a 2-0 home win could be a decent correct-score option this time.
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