DES Buckingham has revealed which positions will be key to Oxford United having a successful season in Sky Bet Championship.

United’s head coach says the deep-lying midfield role and the two wingers are instrumental in how his side sets up.

Last season, it was Cameron Brannagan who occupied the midfield slot, with Owen Dale and Josh Murphy out wide, as the U’s sealed promotion to the second tier.

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United have bolstered their squad in the transfer market though, bringing in Idris El Mizouni and Will Vaulks to provide extra competition for the deep midfield role, with the latter looking likely to start the campaign there after doing so for the majority of pre-season.

Malcolm Ebiowei, Matt Phillips and Przemyslaw Placheta meanwhile provide further competition out wide.

“There are probably two positions in the way that we want to play that are vital to making it successful,” said Buckingham.

“One is our six, so the holding midfield player, and the others are the wingers. If we get those positions right, it allows us to play different ways within that system.

“If we don’t have them, it limits what we can do, so it’s so important.

“They don’t have to be your best players. Obviously, it helps if they are, but it’s more important we get the right people in those roles to allow us to play that way.”