Oxford United welcome several key players back as they head for Blackpool on Saturday in Sky Bet League 1.
The U’s have stayed in touch with the play-off chasing pack despite recent injuries stretching the squad in recent weeks but as Des Buckingham told iFollow, with players now coming back into contention his team are looking for a positive result this weekend.
“It’s two good teams who are chasing the sides slightly above them at the moment and that makes it a very exciting game” he told iFollow.
“Blackpool are a good side, especially at home and they have some good players up front who can hurt you, but so do we. We have stuck around that pack at the top and now it’s a case of continuing to get stronger game by game, which we will do. The return of a few players will help with that.
“We have Jamie Cumming back in the squad, then we have Sam Long available after we followed the medical protocols- he has passed all of those. Then in the front line we welcome Billy Bodin back, Will Goodwin will be part of the travelling squad and we have Josh Murphy available again. Joe Bennett, if he trains OK will be available again on Tuesday evening.
“We have had players playing every game, often twice a week all season. You look at Elliott Moore, Ciaron Brown, Marcus McGuane, Cameron Brannagan, Ruben Rodrigues and Mark Harris, they have played the bulk of every game for the last two or three months. They are good players, no doubt about it, but to continually do that without a rest or to take some time out so you are fresh to go again, is tough
“Players coming in will allow us to mix things up if we feel we need to, but also give us greater impact from the bench: bring on Murphy, Bodin or Goodwin for example, if they don’t start, and it causes the opposition real headaches.
“If we get everyone back then we have to kick on from this point forwards. We have been good on the road of late and we have to put in another strong performance now on Saturday”.
See the full interview in iFollow right now.