Derby County and Hull City have one advantage over Oxford United as relegation scrap looms | OneFootball

Derby County and Hull City face easier run-ins compared to Oxford United who still face Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United

Oxford United have a tricky final seven games of the season compared to some of their relegation rivals, making survival that much harder.

We are down to the final seven matches of the Championship season. And it's at this point that fans really start to look at the run-in for their team, as well as those around them.

Seven points separate QPR in 15th, and the second relegation spot, currently occupied by Luton Town. A lot of teams are still in the battle to stay in the Championship, with some having much easier ends to the season than others.

Oxford are one of the sides that do not have an easy end to the campaign, and may find points hard to come by for the rest of the season.

Oxford are yet to face some top teams

Gary Rowett's men face three of the top four before the end of the season. None of the other relegation fighters have more promotion-pushing sides left to play.

This means that extra pressure will be applied to the other four games in order to get the points required to stay in the division.

Of the sides in-and-around the Yellows, Oxford only face Cardiff and Swansea, both away from home. The match against the Swans is on the final day, and will more than likely need a positive result on the day to secure safety if the league table stays true to itself.

United will be hoping that Swansea will have secured safety by that point, and have nothing to play for on the final match of the season.

However, positives can be taken from this situation. Despite playing Sheffield United, Leeds and Sunderland before the end of the campaign, all three games will be at home. And you can bet that the Oxford fans will be doing everything in their power to generate an atmosphere the players can feed off.

Under Gary Rowett, United's results have followed a similar trend. Regardless of who they play, and what the result is, the scoreline is always very close. And this will more than likely be the case when they face these bigger sides.

Oxford will have less of the ball in these three games, but will defend for their lives, with a home crowd cheering them on. It won't be an easy place for teams to go, and Rowett will make sure of that.

Derby have the easiest run-in of the relegation pack

The league table doesn't make for pleasant reading if you're a Ram, but the fixture list for the remainder of the season looks a little easier on the eye.

County currently sit 22nd, holding the last of the relegation places. But luckily for them, their fate is still very much in their own hands.

John Eustace's side still have the likes of Swansea City, Portsmouth, Luton Town, Hull City, along with Stoke City on the final day. All of these teams are currently 16th or lower in the league, and all provide real opportunities for points to be gained as the final day approaches.

Hull City only face one side in the top eight before the end of the season

The Tigers also seem to have an easier final seven games than Oxford, although not in the same way Derby do.

Ruben Selles' side only face three sides in and around them, but also only face one side pushing for promotion. Hull travel to the Midlands to face Coventry on 14th April, who currently sit fifth in the Championship.

This will be their last tough test where they will be expected to lose to Frank Lampard's side. This is vastly easier than Oxford, with three sides ahead of Coventry still on their fixture list.

Hull are also still to play Swansea, Derby and Pompey, who they will face on the final day. It is more than possible for the Tigers to pick up another 10 points before the end of the season, which would get them to 51 points, seemingly enough to stay in the Championship.

It's worth mentioning that there are other sides in the relegation battle. Luton have a tricky run-in, playing the likes of Leeds, Bristol City, Coventry before West Brom on the final day.

Cardiff also face tough tests in the form of West Brom and Sheffield United before Norwich on 3rd May.

Stoke City's tough tests come from Leeds and Sheffield United. However, they also play the likes of Luton, Cardiff and Derby on the last day.

Oxford certainly face a tough end to the season, with sides around them having more opportunities to pick up points late in the season. Derby and Hull, of those down there, have an advantage over Oxford in that regard.

It's certainly a hard fixture list, but as the team who were favourite for relegation before a ball was kicked in August, there is also a chance for United to create unforgettable memories for their fans before the end of the season.