KARL Robinson is not being fooled by Swansea City’s slow start to the season ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup first-round tie.

The Sky Bet Championship side have only taken one point from their first two matches after finishing 15th in 2021/22.

But Oxford United head coach Robinson is backing Russell Martin’s men to go from strength to strength as he targets a morale-boosting win at the Kassam Stadium.

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He said: “When a team is coached so well that sometimes takes longer to get going, because the rotations and fluidity take more time.

“We know that’s always going to be the way.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you see Swansea flying up that table because of the players they’ve got and the way they’re coached.”

Like Robinson, Martin is an ex-MK Dons manager and takes a possession-based approach.

The U’s boss added: “He’s a good guy, he’s done well.

“You know his playing style and his philosophy and that’s one reason why I like it, because he stays consistent throughout the difficult times as well.”

The sides meet for the first time since January 2016, when the U’s bridged a three-division gap to beat Swansea 3-2 in the Emirates FA Cup third round.

READ MORE: Steve Seddon wants the games to keep coming as Oxford United seek momentum

More upsets have followed since Robinson joined the club in 2018, most notably on their way to reaching the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in 2019/20.

The U’s head coach knows the significance of a cup run but is aware his side will have to do everything right tonight.

Robinson said: “They’re important to the football club, but you’re coming up against a team in the league above.

“There’s a reason they will spend what they spend and we spend what we spend, there’s a gulf.

“We need to make sure we close that gap by our level of professionalism, performance, energy, creativity and positivity.”