Nathan Broadhead came into the starting line-up as Alex Neil made three changes to the side that beat Gillingham on Wearside last weekend. Broadhead, who came off the bench to score Sunderland's winner against the Gills on his comeback from a hamstring injury, started up front at Oxford alongside Ross Stewart.
Lynden Gooch also came into the starting XI, while January signing Jay Matete started in midfield after being rested in recent weeks. Influential midfielder Alex Pritchard was one of the men to make way and there was no sign of him in the matchday squad, which will be a worry given that he only returned from an ankle injury last Saturday.
Luke O'Nien and Danny Batth were the other men left out, but they were both included on the bench. Neil also looked to have shifted to a back three, with Carl Winchester and Dennis Cirkin expected to play either side of Bailey Wright, and with Gooch and Jack Clarke as the wingbacks.
