DANIEL Stendel says he knows Barnsley fans are ‘upset’ but called on them to ‘show you really love your club and do everything to help’ when they host high-flying Oxford United from 3pm on Saturday.

The second-bottom Reds have won just one of 11 league games at Oakwell since March and not kept a clean sheet there in a club record 24 games in all competitions in almost a year since thrashing Luton Town 5-0 on November 22.

They have lost their last six games in all competitions.

Stendel told the Chronicle: “It’s our job to get the crowd behind us, but I think it’s similar to what I said to the players, also to the supporters and to everybody who is behind Barnsley FC.

“It’s easy when everything is running in the right way, but when we concede the goal, the game isn’t finished.

“We need the togetherness and that everybody helps each other and this is the same what I hope and I expected from our fans.

“It’s not the situation that everybody likes to have but show you really love your club and you do everything to help the club and this is what I would like to see on Saturday.

“I know the situation is not easy, and we are all a little bit upset, but Saturday is a new game and I hope and I expect that we get a really good support to win our home game.”

Oxford are managed by Aaron Ramsey, the former Arsenal and Wales midfielder who took over in the summer following the Us’ relegation after a two-year stint in the Championship.

They had a transfer embargo during most of the summer window due to breaching League One profit and sustainability rules, so only made two loan signings of young players.

The Us are currently third in League One, three points behind leaders Huddersfield Town with a game in hand.

They are unbeaten in their last eight league games, with five wins.

This week they hosted two other sides in the top four, drawing 0-0 with Bradford City on Saturday then winning 1-0 against Stockport on Tuesday.

Stendel told the Chronicle: “I think the biggest strength is especially the wings – good individuals, quality, quick, really good in one against one.

“I think this is the main threat, and we have to look at how we can solve that and how we can defend it.

“We do it in the last games also against really good individual players, but we talk about some things like in the end, you can lose a duel, but it means not that we have to concede a goal.

“It means we have to defend as a team, and one player misses a ball, the other player can help and stop the situation.

“On the other side we’re looking at what we can do to create more chances and score more goals.

“I think our midfield game is one of the best in the league, but the games were decided in front of our goal and in the (opponents’) 18-yard box.”

This is the latest in a run of fixtures against sides in the top eight.

Stendel added: “We have some tough games in the last weeks.

“We not get so much points in these games, but you have not the feeling that we have not a chance to get points.

“I think this is what we want to show everybody on Saturday in the stadium.

“We know Oxford have a good squad and they won their last games.

“But when we can play and finish our game over 90 minutes, I think we have also a chance to beat Oxford at home.”

Barnsley have won the fewest ‘ground duels’ of any team in English football.

Stendel said: “With how we prepare the team and what we want to do, I wouldn’t say we do no mistakes, but I think it’s the most of the time really good.

“But in the end we have to bring the atmosphere in the group, the last desire to defend and to score goals.

“I like passion, I like to play with heart, I like to show the mentality. This is what you try to bring to the players, but everybody has to answer himself.

“It’s a big task for every single player and for us as a team to show the character on the pitch.”

Oxford have Michal Helik who Barnsley signed from his native Poland in 2021 then he starred as they reached the Championship play-offs before leaving for Huddersfield. Now 31, he has been relegated to League One with the Reds, Terriers and Oxford who he is now starting for regularly in central defence.

The two clubs have met 29 times, with Barnsley winning 15 and losing eight.

The last meeting was in Oxford on January 2024 when the Reds won 1-0 thanks to a Sam Long own goal.

Oxford won their last game at Oakwell 3-1 in August 2023 which is their only victory in the last seven meetings.