PLAYER PROFILE | Cameron Brannagan

Cameron Brannagan was tipped as the next big thing when he was in Liverpool’s Under 23 side, but - despite him knocking - the door of first team football never opened at Anfield.

Now at Oxford United, Brannagan has established himself as arguably the best midfielder in League One since leaving Merseyside, and he will need to be at his best as the free-scoring U's take on Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup tonight. 

In this article, Playmaker runs the rule over a player who looks destined to climb back up the league ladder. 

A casualty of Klopp's Red Revolution

Born in Manchester, Brannagan spent most of his early career at Liverpool, although his 17 years with the Reds only resulted in three Premier League appearances in the 2015-16 season. Viewed as one of the Reds' most talented youngsters, however, a £1 million bid for Brannagan from Wigan Athletic was reportedly rejected by Liverpool that season. 

Appearances suggested Brannagan was being groomed for first-team action, and he went on the club’s 2016/17 pre-season tour. However, with Jurgen Klopp’s revolution at Liverpool starting to take shape, Brannagan was sent out on loan to Fleetwood in January 2017 where he notched 14 professional appearances in League One. 

Brannagan has himself said he was torn at the end of the 2016/17 season, as he was offered another loan move to recently-relegated Swindon Town, but declined the offer of League Two football as he felt his chance at Liverpool was just around the corner. The decision backfired with Brannagan consigned to reserve team football as a result of rejecting the loan move.

Moving on

After only playing for the Reds' second string in the first half of the 2017/18 season, Brannagan chose to move to Oxford United in January 2018, and regular League One football has been the making of the youngster - who has since claimed that leaving Anfield was the "best move" he ever made.

Since signing for £200,000, he has made 85 appearances for The U’s scoring 13 goals. With a reputation as arguably the best midfielder in the third tier, Brannagan has been one of the catalysts behind Oxford's terrific form - the U's going 18 games unbeaten across all competitions from early September to early December. 

FULL-TIME: #OUFC 3-0 @TranmereRovers. United cruise to their biggest win of the season thanks to two James Henry penalties and the now obligatory strike from Cameron Brannagan. On to Bolton on Tuesday.

— Oxford United FC (@OUFCOfficial) September 14, 2019

What type of midfielder is he?

Brannagan is very technically adept, which is one of the reasons many people rate him so highly. He is also a bundle of energy, running box-to-box and flying into challenges – this enthusiasm, which can spill over, earning him four yellow cards this season.

He is literally pivotal to this current Oxford side, playing in the middle of an attacking trio in The U’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system. His team-mates frequently look to give the ball to him, where his super passing ability means he can really dictate games and put his side on the front foot. In fact, Brannagan (53 pg) ranks 10th for successful passes per game in League One this season (of players to play 10+ games).

Playing the long game...

Deadly accurate long balls are Brannagan’s trump card, the playmaker averaging the sixth highest number of long key passes per game (4.7 pg) of any League One midfielder this term. Something of a throwback to the days of all-action midfielders, Brannagan is a driving force who wins the ball, distributes it well and has that extra bit of technical quality that makes him something of a set-piece specialist, the 23-year-old taking the majority of The U’s corners.

He is also improving. Last season, Brannagan scored six goals and supplied six assists in 53 games across all competitions - figures he has nearly beaten already this season.

Despite suffering a knee injury against Rochdale that kept him out from the end of October to mid-December, Brannagan has already scored five goals and laid on four assists in just 16 League One appearances in 2019/20. 

What perhaps marks Brannagan out as a special talent is his ability to deliver when it matters.

A look at his individual contributions this season shows that Brannagan's output has been key. The midfielder has played a part in goals that have been worth an additional seven League One points for Oxford, and if he had not created or scored those goals Oxford would be 16th rather than 8th in the division - a world of difference.

All eyes on Man City

Brannagan's return to first team action in the 1-0 defeat to MK Dons was disappointing in terms of the result, but perfect in its timing.

Tonight's Carabao Cup clash against the English champions will give Brannagan a fantastic stage upon which to parade his talents and, with the U's still outside the play-off places in League One, their clash with leaders Wycombe Wanderers this Saturday is also a huge fixture.

It's an exciting phase of Oxford's season...and the scene is set for Brannagan to come back with a bang.

⏱💥 pic.twitter.com/K35N8M7p4a

— Cameron Brannagan (@Cameron246bran) November 20, 2019