OXFORD United are happy to quietly go about their business against Sky Bet League One’s big names, says Matty Taylor.

The striker returned from isolation to score his ninth goal of the season and secure a 1-1 draw at Sunderland.

It stretched the U’s unbeaten league run to seven matches as they climbed to seventh in the table.

The verdict: A familiar scoreline, but a different Oxford United

United have taken five points from trips to Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday since the start of October and Taylor insists his home town club have no fear against teams of that stature.

The 31-year-old said: “We’re Oxford United, we like mixing with the big boys.

“We’ve drawn away at Sunderland and Ipswich, beaten Sheffield Wednesday – I can’t remember too many days like that supporting Oxford.

“It shows you how far this group of players have come and the belief we have in ourselves.

“We don’t shout it from the rooftops, but we know we’ve got some quality players in the changing room.

“There’s a long way to go, but we’ll keep fighting for every point and see where it takes us.”

United went behind to Leon Dajaku’s early strike, but Taylor equalised nine minutes before the break.

Sunderland hit the woodwork twice in the second half, with Simon Eastwood tipping Nathan Broadhead’s late effort onto the post to preserve the point.

It means they are four games unbeaten on the road in League One, after taking one point from their first four away fixtures.

Taylor added: “We knew our away form wasn’t the best, it needed to be better to achieve anything in the Football League season.

“It’s been really good, this league looks brutal on paper this year with some massive clubs.

“Long may it continue and hopefully we keep up the home form like we have for the last two and a half years.”

Taylor was one of seven U’s players to test positive for Covid before the postponed trip to Wigan Athletic on November 20.

All of them returned to training last week and the striker was immediately restored to the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light, along with Eastwood, Elliott Moore and Anthony Forde.

The U’s will hope it is the last time Covid hits their camp, with players and staff forced to isolate on several occasions this season.

Read also: Karl Robinson explains Oxford United's substitutions

Taylor said: “We have strict protocols, but the lads have had it at various times.

“It’s just strange how it seems to get in the camp and spread to different people.

“Thankfully I wasn’t really bad but I’m glad to make a full recovery, obviously there are people that haven’t.

“It’s strange times, but I’m glad to be back playing.”

Taylor’s celebration drew parallels with Max Power’s run towards the dugouts after scoring in this fixture last season, which Sunderland won 3-1 as tempers flared on and off the pitch.

The striker stopped short of repeating Power’s knee-slide in front of the opposition bench and insisted he was not mimicking the ex-Black Cats midfielder.

He said: “I just got excited, when you score you can end up doing anything in the next five or ten seconds.

“I just wheeled away, there was nothing in it to be honest.”