Football Taylor an injury doubt for Oxford’s FA Cup visit to the Mem
MATTY Taylor could be ruled out of a return to the Memorial Stadium tonight with Oxford United manager Karl Robinson admitting he’ll make a late call on the former Bristol Rovers striker for the FA Cup first round replay.
Taylor, who opened the scoring in the first tie at the Kassam Stadium earlier this month, suffered what appeared to be an arm injury in Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Ipswich but did complete 90 minutes.
Given Robinson has promised to field a much-changed starting lineup from Saturday, it seems unlikely Taylor will be risked if there is any doubt over his fitness with the Us’ League One promotion bid very much the priority.
Taylor, who infamously signed for Bristol City from Rovers in January 2017 after scoring 68 goals in 134 games for the Gas, was abused relentlessly by the travelling Rovers support in the previous game and complained after the encounter that some chants crossed a line.
The 31-year-old played at the Memorial Stadium last season but behind closed doors due to the pandemic, while his August 2019 return was an uncomfortable occasion with the Oxford team bus given a police escort to the Mem before the striker was barracked throughout a first half which he left after 33 minutes due to injury.
“I think he milked it a little bit, so we’ll see,” Robinson told the Oxford Mail yesterday morning of Taylor’s injury. “I know how he was yesterday, but I’m sure we’ll have a better understanding of where that is.”
Taylor has six goals in 15 league games for Oxford this season, alongside James Henry at the top of the scoring charts, and while his
absence may take the sting out of the atmosphere, from a footballing perspective it would be enormously beneficial to Rovers.
Robinson admits his team will still comprise senior players but any individual carrying a knock or with concern around their fitness is unlikely to start with fixtures against Wigan, Fleetwood and Rotherham on the horizon.
“I think it’s important when you make a lot of changes that you tell fans and at least when they turn up it’s not a shock,” Robinson added.
“One of our players has got tonsilitis, he certainly won’t be travelling. There’s one or two little niggles and stiffnesses that we won’t risk and I don’t see why we should have to.
“The team that we put on the pitch will certainly be very competitive and do its best to try to get a result. A lot of these changes are players the fans have been asking to see.
“We’re taking every (available) first-team member, there will be no kids travelling. Since we’ve drawn this game, I’ve seen the level of training improve because the players know it’s another game they have to be ready for.”
Rovers are in form going into the match, having beaten Northampton Town on Saturday, and with the prospect of a home tie against Sutton United for the victors which offers an agreeable path to a potentially lucrative third-round tie.
In seven competitive matches, plus one friendly, against his good friend Joey Barton as manager and player, Robinson is yet to experience victory.
Jermain Defoe is among a four-man caretaker team appointed by Rangers as the Ibrox club search for a new manager.
The Scottish champions confirmed on their official Twitter account that player-coach Defoe, B-team boss David McCallum and his assistant, Brian Gilmour, along with goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart will lead the first team “while the recruitment process for a new manager continues”.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst emerged as the favourite to take over following Steven Gerrard’s departure for Aston Villa last week.