Alex Neil will have a lot on his mind as seventh placed Sunderland travel to eight placed Oxford United this afternoon.

The Black Cats have shored themselves up defensively in the last month or so and will need to call on that stark improvement at the Kassam Stadium, taking on the highest scoring team in the third tier.

Oxford are winless in three and have fallen away from what appeared to be a stable position in the top six as a result.

Should there be a loser in this game, a play-off finish will become an uphill battle for them, though it seems very likely that scenario will not change the way that Karl Robinson sets his team up.

Here, we have taken a look at the main dilemmas facing Neil today...

Nathan Broadhead

Broadhead returned to net a crucial second half additional time winner against Gillingham last weekend.

When fit and available, the Everton loanee has been excellent this season and has taken some of the goalscoring burden off of the shoulders of Ross Stewart.

Broadhead can play out wide if needed, but is more dangerous when deployed through the centre, it will provide an insight into how attacking Neil is setting the Black Cats up, as to whether Broadhead starts or is utilised from the bench once again.

Patrick Roberts and Alex Pritchard will be expected to keep their place with Jack Clarke potentially one to make way.

Approach

A point at Oxford would not push Sunderland back up into the top six, however it would be a decent result to keep them at an arms length heading into the final five matches of the season.

The Yellows could be vulnerable in transition and that could be an area that Neil pinpoints for Sunderland to pick up a positive result.

It does seem like they will sit back and contain the Yellows' free-flowing attacking unit, but if the deadlock is broken early by the hosts, that plan would have to be ripped up.

A defeat would be a huge blow for either side at this stage of the season.