+0.60 points a game is the venue form gap, in Mansfield Town's favour: Mansfield Town takes 1.68 a game at home over the last two seasons, Oxford United 1.08 away.
Mansfield Town: 50 league matches in the bank, 8 from this season and the rest from last season. Oxford United: 50 league matches in the bank, 7 from this season and the rest from last season in the Championship.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Mansfield Town -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 3, drew 1, lost 0 of 4, scoring 9 and conceding 4. Last season at home: won 8, drew 8, lost 5 of 21, scoring 35 and conceding 25 -- 1.52 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Bromley 2-1 at home; drew with Burton Albion 2-2 away; drew with Huddersfield Town 0-0 at home; lost to Bradford City 0-1 away; lost to Reading 0-5 away.
The dugout
Every one of the 23 banked matches with a manager recorded was taken by Nigel Clough. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Oxford United -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 3, drew 0, lost 1 of 4, scoring 9 and conceding 5. Last season away in the Championship: won 4, drew 6, lost 11 of 21, scoring 19 and conceding 28 -- 0.86 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: beat Notts County 2-1 away; drew with Cambridge United 1-1 at home; beat Burton Albion 3-0 at home; beat Leicester City 4-0 away; lost to Huddersfield Town 1-3 away.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 2 different managers took its 27 matches with one recorded (19, 8 apiece), most recently Matt Bloomfield with 8. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 11:31 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.