Follow live coverage as Oxford United face Watford in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Oxford United FC 1 - 0 Watford FC
Oxford United vs Watford
16:57Match ends, Oxford United 1, Watford 0.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:57Second Half ends, Oxford United 1, Watford 0.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:57Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Vakoun Bayo (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Offside, Oxford United. Mark Harris is caught offside.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Yasser Larouci (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Attempt blocked. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Substitution, Oxford United. Alex Matos replaces Siriki Dembélé.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:52Substitution, Oxford United. Matt Phillips replaces Przemyslaw Placheta.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:47Substitution, Watford. Ryan Andrews replaces Jeremy Ngakia.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:44Offside, Oxford United. Mark Harris is caught offside.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:44Substitution, Watford. James Morris replaces Moussa Sissoko.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:44Substitution, Watford. Rocco Vata replaces Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:40Goal! Oxford United 1, Watford 0. Siriki Dembélé (Oxford United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mark Harris.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:40Second yellow card to James Abankwah (Watford) for a bad foul.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:40Foul by James Abankwah (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:35Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:34Attempt saved. Tyler Goodrham (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:32Foul by Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:31Attempt missed. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:30Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Vakoun Bayo following a corner.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:29Corner, Watford. Conceded by Tyler Goodrham.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:29Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Tom Ince.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:29Substitution, Oxford United. Peter Kioso replaces Hidde ter Avest.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:29Substitution, Oxford United. Tyler Goodrham replaces Ole Romeny.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:26Przemyslaw Placheta (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:25James Abankwah (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:25Foul by Przemyslaw Placheta (Oxford United).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:24Attempt missed. Francisco Sierralta (Watford) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Imrân Louza with a cross following a corner.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:23Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ben Nelson.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:20Attempt missed. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:17Attempt missed. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:15Tom Ince (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:15Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:15Delay in match because of an injury Imrân Louza (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:14Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:14Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:13Attempt blocked. Will Vaulks (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:10Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:10Francisco Sierralta (Watford) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:09Hand ball by Jeremy Ngakia (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:08Attempt missed. Siriki Dembélé (Oxford United) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:08Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Oxford United vs Watford
16:08Delay in match because of an injury Moussa Sissoko (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
16:03Second Half begins Oxford United 0, Watford 0.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:48First Half ends, Oxford United 0, Watford 0.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:48Attempt saved. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:48Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:47Attempt saved. Francisco Sierralta (Watford) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze with a cross.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:46Foul by Ole Romeny (Oxford United).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:46Yasser Larouci (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:47Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:45Hand ball by Will Vaulks (Oxford United).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:44Attempt saved. Cameron Brannagan (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:44Offside, Watford. Edo Kayembe is caught offside.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:42Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:37Corner, Watford. Conceded by Michal Helik.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:36Attempt missed. Will Vaulks (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:36Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Tom Ince.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:35Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:33Attempt saved. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:33Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Edo Kayembe.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:30Attempt missed. Ben Nelson (Oxford United) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Cameron Brannagan with a cross following a corner.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:29Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:29Foul by Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:28Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:29Attempt saved. Moussa Sissoko (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tom Ince with a through ball.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:28Jeremy Ngakia (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:27Foul by Edo Kayembe (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:24Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:24Delay in match because of an injury Will Vaulks (Oxford United).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:19Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner from a direct free kick.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:17Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:16Attempt missed. Przemyslaw Placheta (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Cameron Brannagan.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:15Foul by Jeremy Ngakia (Watford).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:08Corner, Watford. Conceded by Hidde ter Avest.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:08Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:07Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:08Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Abankwah.
Oxford United vs Watford
15:04Foul by Ciaron Brown (Oxford United).
Oxford United vs Watford
15:01First Half begins.
Oxford United vs Watford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Oxford United vs Watford
13:01Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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