Match Preview | Oxford City v Leicester City
Foxes take to OX3.
Emirates FA Cup First Round. An incredible achievement, and a fantastic occasion as the Hoops welcome Sky Bet League One’s Leicester City to the MGroup Stadium.
A strong run so far in the competition, City entered the competition with a 2-0 victory over Dorchester Town in the Second Qualifying Round, with a 6-1 win against Enfield following. Then, it was a trip to Torquay that saw the Hoops engage in a tough Fourth Qualifying Round tie, with Pollock’s goal the difference as City put their name in the hat for the First Round draw.
For the Foxes, they enter the competition in this round, the first time they have taken part at this stage of the competition since 2008. The former Premier League Champions have won the FA Cup once in their history, that being as Youri Tielemans fired the Foxes to a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley in 2021.
The Foxes will certainly look to that day as motivation to string together another cup run, looking to go further than last campaign, which saw them into the Fourth Round before Southampton got the better of the East Midlands outfit in a 2-1 scoreline. For City, they are looking towards a record-equalling run, with the furthest they have progressed in the competition being the Second Round, having done so on three occasions (1969/70, 2017/18, and 2020/21).
The stage is set for a proper Emirates FA Cup tie, but who will emerge victors on the night?
MATCH DETAILS
Oxford City vs Leicester City
Friday 6th November | Emirates FA Cup First Round | 7:45pm
Referee: Andrew Humphries | Assistant Referees: Matthew Joyce & Ross Murphy | Fourth Official: Niall Smith
FORM
OXFORD CITY - W W D W L
South Shields, one of the favourites to win the league, took the points against the Hoops last time out, but City still carry the momentum of strong form, going eight unbeaten before that clash, sitting second in the Enterprise National League North, and only losing on three occasions so far this term.
Moreover, no one in the division can boast a better record than the Hoops’ defence, with City’s 11 league goals conceded thus far only matched by the likes of Macclesfield and Hereford, and Maxted tallying a total of 9 clean sheets across all competitions so far. An impressive record that they will be striving to uphold as the Foxes take to OX3.
The Hoops also boast a strong recent home form, being beaten in just one of their last five at the MGroup, scoring 15 goals across those fixtures, showing that Marsh Lane will be a tough visit for Leicester, as City look to cause Emirates FA Cup upset.
LEICESTER CITY - W W L W D
A mixed start to the season sees the Foxes sit in 10th, having won five, drawn four, and lost the remaining four of their opening fixtures. That followed back-to-back relegations that saw them drop from the top tier, where they competed in the 2024/25 season, to Sky Bet League One.
They are, however, rarely beaten as the away side, having travelled on six occasions in the league this term, being defeated on just one occasion. That came as Luton Town emerged 2-1 victors in the Foxes’ last away clash. Russell Martin’s side have only been beaten once in their last five, however, seeing them head into the clash confident against lower-league opposition.
In comparison to City’s defensive record, the Foxes rarely achieve a full shutout, conceding in 71% of their clashes across all competitions this season, a positive sign for the Hoops, who boast plenty of goalscoring threats in their ranks.
ONE TO WATCH - CONOR CHAPLIN
One with a wealth of experience in the top leagues is Conor Chaplin, who played a critical role in the Ipswich Town side that earned back-to-back promotions to the top flight, making 22 appearances in the Premier League before a loan move to the Championship.
Their first signing upon their relegation to tier three, Chaplin found himself back in the league in which he earned the top scorer honour with Ipswich in the 22/23 season, netting 26 that term. Before that stint, he had spells at Coventry City and Barnsley, with the latter contract seeing him net 15 in 78 league games.
After missing the early stages of the season due to injury, he made his Foxes’ debut in a clash against his former club, as Leicester took on Ipswich in the Carabao Cup on August 25th. He has since made himself a regular in the matchday squad, driving his side forward from midfield, something he will be sure to continue on Friday evening.
THE MANAGER - RUSSELL MARTIN
Martin was appointed manager of Leicester City in June 2026, following stints at MK Dons, Swansea City, Southampton, and Rangers. Managing in Milton Keynes came as his first managerial role, joining in 2019, before moving to South Wales in the summer of 2021.
Taking over Southampton for the 2023/24 season, he enjoyed success with Saints, going on a club-record 25-game unbeaten run, as well as guiding them to the top tier through the Championship Play-Offs. A struggling start to the 2024/25 season saw Martin dismissed in December, from there moving to Rangers, where he managed 17 games before it was deemed his takeover hadn’t met expectations.
All of this followed an illustrious playing career, which saw him earn 29 caps for Scotland, make 140 appearances across a 4-year spell at Wycombe, become Peterborough’s youngest ever captain in 2008, and spending nine years at Norwich City, earning promotion to the top flight on two occasions, making more than 300 appearances, 125 of which were in the Premier League. Short stints at Rangers, Walsall, and MK Dons saw out his playing career, before changing his view from the pitch to the dugout.
Praising his commitment to progressive football and a strong team culture, Leicester offered Martin a contract that runs until 2029, with 10th not a bad place for his side to sit at this point in the campaign, and the excitement of a cup run brewing.
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