Follow live coverage as Watford face Oxford United 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.
Watford FC 1 - 0 Oxford United FC
Watford vs Oxford United
21:57Match ends, Watford 1, Oxford United 0.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:57Second Half ends, Watford 1, Oxford United 0.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:57Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:57Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by James Morris.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:55Attempt missed. Elliott Moore (Oxford United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Greg Leigh with a cross.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:54James Morris (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:54Foul by James Morris (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:54Substitution, Watford. Daniel Jebbison replaces Vakoun Bayo.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:54Substitution, Watford. Tom Ince replaces Imrân Louza.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:50Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:49Attempt missed. Mark Harris (Oxford United) left footed shot from very close range is too high following a set piece situation.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:50Attempt saved. Sam Long (Oxford United) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Will Vaulks with a cross.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:47Foul by Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:46Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:46Substitution, Oxford United. Will Goodwin replaces Rúben Rodrigues.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:46Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Daniel Bachmann.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:54Attempt missed. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ryan Porteous.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:46Attempt saved. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yasser Larouci.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:41Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:41Attempt blocked. Mattie Pollock (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:40Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:40Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Imrân Louza.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:38Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:38Substitution, Watford. Pierre Dwomoh replaces Edo Kayembe.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:38James Morris (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:38Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:36Elliott Moore (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:36Vakoun Bayo (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:36Foul by James Morris (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:36Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Vakoun Bayo.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:34Corner, Watford. Conceded by Rúben Rodrigues.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:34Attempt saved. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:33Attempt saved. Hidde ter Avest (Oxford United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:30Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:29Substitution, Oxford United. Hidde ter Avest replaces Peter Kioso.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:27Attempt missed. Ryan Porteous (Watford) header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:27Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jamie Cumming.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Corner, Watford. Conceded by Peter Kioso.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Corner, Watford. Conceded by Elliott Moore.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Substitution, Watford. Yasser Larouci replaces Festy Ebosele because of an injury.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Substitution, Watford. Rocco Vata replaces Kwadwo Baah.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:25Delay in match because of an injury Festy Ebosele (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:26Corner, Watford. Conceded by Sam Long.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:23Attempt missed. Ciaron Brown (Oxford United) header from the centre of the box following a set piece situation.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:23Festy Ebosele (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:23Foul by Festy Ebosele (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:21Foul by James Morris (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:19Corner, Watford. Conceded by Elliott Moore.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:19Substitution, Oxford United. Idris El Mizouni replaces Josh McEachran.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:19Substitution, Oxford United. Mark Harris replaces Dane Scarlett.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:17Offside, Oxford United. Dane Scarlett is caught offside.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:17Attempt saved. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:14Goal! Watford 1, Oxford United 0. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box following a fast break.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:14Attempt saved. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kwadwo Baah.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:12Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:10Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:09Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
21:07Attempt missed. Ryan Andrews (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Watford vs Oxford United
21:05Second Half begins Watford 0, Oxford United 0.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:50First Half ends, Watford 0, Oxford United 0.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:49Josh McEachran (Oxford United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:49Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:48Attempt blocked. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Festy Ebosele.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:44Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:41Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:41Kwadwo Baah (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:41Foul by Ryan Porteous (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:40Attempt missed. Peter Kioso (Oxford United) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Rúben Rodrigues.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:38Attempt blocked. Tyler Goodrham (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:38Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:36Ryan Porteous (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:36Foul by Ryan Porteous (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:35Attempt saved. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:35Corner, Watford. Conceded by Peter Kioso.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:34Vakoun Bayo (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:33Offside, Watford. Vakoun Bayo is caught offside.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:29Attempt missed. Tyler Goodrham (Oxford United) right footed shot from outside the box.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:28Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:27Attempt blocked. Kwadwo Baah (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Andrews.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:23Offside, Oxford United. Dane Scarlett is caught offside.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:21Foul by James Morris (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:18Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:18Delay in match because of an injury Mattie Pollock (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:14Corner, Oxford United. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:12Ryan Porteous (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:10Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:10Delay in match (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:09Foul by Kwadwo Baah (Watford).
Watford vs Oxford United
20:06Attempt missed. Greg Leigh (Oxford United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Dane Scarlett.
Watford vs Oxford United
20:02First Half begins.
Watford vs Oxford United
19:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Watford vs Oxford United
18:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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