JOSH Murphy is loving the link-up with Joe Bennett down the Oxford United left-hand side.

The two players spent three seasons together at Cardiff City, after Murphy joined the Bluebirds in a reported £11 million move from Norwich City in June 2018.

Across three campaigns, Bennett and Murphy amassed 208 appearances between them, before they both made their Cardiff exits, with Murphy initially heading out on loan to Preston North End.

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On his reunion with Bennett, and their partnership down the U’s left, Murphy said: “I love playing with Joe. We’re good mates and go on holiday together.

“It helps having them couple of seasons together at Cardiff, that we just understand each other’s game.

“He allows me to go and play freely, and gives me the ball early to let me go and express myself going forward.

“He gives me the best possible opportunity to get at them. I love playing with him and I feel like we’ve got a good balance.”

United head coach Des Buckingham is enjoying the dilemma at left back, with Bennett and Greg Leigh to choose from.

He said after the win against Exeter City on Saturday: “It’s a good problem to have down that left. We’ll pick a team that we feel is right for the game.

“Against certain teams, we know what Greg gives us, and the advantages that we can get there, that we don’t feel Joe can give us.

“We felt that Joe could give us that little bit more down that left-hand side, and that link-up with Murph, we thought was going to be very important. They’re very comfortable playing together.

“It’s a good problem to have, and both equally have been involved to get us where we are.”