Exclusive: Sheffield United have key consideration as quick reschedule possible for Oxford United clash
Sheffield United’s postponed clash against Oxford United could potentially be rescheduled for an upcoming midweek date.
That is according to ex-PGMOL chief and former FIFA referee Keith Hackett, who has exclusively told Football Insider that external factors will also play a major role in deciding when the game will be played.
Sheffield United have been resurgent in the Championship of late, but the postponement of the Oxford clash due to a frozen pitch early on Sunday morning has delayed their bid to secure a third consecutive win.
Chris Wilder’s men are in promising form in the early days of 2026, and they will be desperate to get the cancelled game rescheduled as quickly as possible.
Tuesday or Wednesday meeting could be possible for Sheffield United vs Oxford United
Football Insider recently revealed that Sheffield United are in advanced talks with Patrick Bamford over the possibility of extending his short-term deal in a move that would boost their chances of a rise up the Championship table.
Bamford has been in excellent form of late, and he and his teammates would have been hoping for another three points against struggling Oxford on home turf this weekend.
The postponement quickly put paid to that, but with neither side playing in midweek ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup Third Round, an immediate reschedule could be possible.
Hackett feels that it would be “great” to see the game rearranged for either 6 January or 7 January, but he was keen to stress that the new date will have to consider the needs of more than just the two clubs.
“Given that temperatures reached a minus figure overnight on Saturday, I am not surprised that a quick decision was taken to postpone the game,” the former official told Football Insider.
“Whilst those midweek dates might be available to the clubs, outside influences play a part in the rescheduling of games. Police availability, stewarding arrangements and the catering aspects all come into play as well.
“The other consideration is, will the ground conditions improve in time for a quick turnaround? It would be great to see if the game could take place in the next few days.”
Early kick-off to hold some blame for Bramall Lane postponement
Sky Sports are not overly popular among match-going fans across the Premier League and the EFL, as the unusual kick-off times that come with their selected games often cause frustration.
Sunday’s clash between Sheffield United and Oxford had been selected for live coverage on Sky Sports Plus, prompting an earlier kick-off time of 12pm.
The earlier start time is undoubtedly not the sole cause of the pitch being deemed unfit for the game to go ahead, but had the game been due to get underway at 3pm, the extra hours of sunlight could have potentially thawed out the problem areas.
Instead, both teams and both sets of fans are left eagerly anticipating when the fresh date will be confirmed.