The concept of a six-pointer is probably over-egging things a bit but this fixture is undoubtedly an important one, for both Bristol Rovers and Oxford United but, more pertinently, Joey Barton and Karl Robinson.
There’s always been a bit of extra needle in matches between Rovers and Oxford, with or without Matty Taylor, hence the early kick-off but for Robinson he’s received a vote of confidence this week from the club hierarchy albeit with a message results need to improve quickly.
There’s no such pressure around Barton’s position but there is a strange aura developing around the Gas at the moment as optimism is subsiding, and for the first time in probably a year, questions of the manager are reaching far and wide in their scope.
