EFL 6/1 Acca - Gab Sutton

Charlton have had two segments to their streaky season so far: an astonishing start of 21 points from their first 14 games for the League One Play-Off winners, firmly expected to finish somewhere in the bottom eight, and then a nosedive of five straight league defeats.

What followed, though, may precipitate a third, more balanced, chapter: a point at big-spenders Birmingham, with an improved second half performance in which they came from behind, ahead of a more favourable series of fixtures between now and the January window’s reopening.

So, the Addicks could be set for a modest resurgence to secure themselves in the comfort of lower midtable, and victory over relegation second-favourites Oxford would go a long way to achieving that end.

The Yellows steadied the ship with five points from three, including victory over Ipswich, but they’ve not been able to build on that solidification with one point from the subsequent three – and they often only look like they can create from a Will Vaulks long throw, or a Brian de Keersmaecker set piece.

It would have been difficult for Exeter to survive this season with no off-field problems, competing with some underachieving big clubs at the bottom to avoid the drop, where some of the more obvious relegation rivals are all faring better than expected.

To make matters much harder for Gary Caldwell’s side, revelations about the club’s internal operations, and mismanagement from people in executive and finance roles, means a fire-sale may be required in January – exactly the time when they would like to strengthen the squad.

How much these issues affect the players is debateable, given that they recently thumped Wycombe 4-0 in the FA Cup, beat Wimbledon 1-0 in the league, and were leading in the second half at promotion-chasing Bolton before falling to an honourable 2-1 defeat – but it can’t help.

Plus, visitors Barnsley have taken 10 points from their last five league games and tend to do the business against the division’s weaker sides, winning five of their seven games against the bottom eight, with Reyes Cleary and Davis Keillor-Dunn proving two of the division’s star performers.

Colchester United being 12th in League Two probably doesn’t offer a fair reflection of where they’re at as a team right now.

The U’s began with one win in 10 league games, with dropped points in August and September once again denying them a more secure place in the top seven, but they’ve since taken 20 points from their last 10, with Micah Mbick making a transformative impact since joining on loan from Charlton at the end of the window.

Danny Cowley can play a dangerous attacking quartet of Kyreece Lisbie, Harry Anderson, Samson Tovide and Mbick, with the former two out wide, or he can drop one or two of the latter two strikers for Jack Payne, arguably the best advanced playmaker in League Two – they have so many means to hurt teams.

The same can’t be said of visitors Newport, who gambled their long-fought for Football League status on the appointment of rookie coach Christian Fuchs being a stellar choice, when many would have argued the situation called for experience.