KARL Robinson has suggested he could miss an Oxford United game during the run-in and scout a summer transfer target instead.

The unusual move is one option being considered as the club look to capitalise on securing their Sky Bet League One status with five games remaining.

United may not be mathematically safe from the drop, but their four-game winning streak has taken them to the safety mark of 52 points.

Also read: Rob Dickie targets top-half finish for Oxford United

It gives them a month to prepare in earnest for the close season, where recruitment is always pivotal.

And now they are safe, Robinson is willing to leave assistants Shaun Derry and Derek Fazackerley in charge for a game if watching a target in the flesh will help steal a march on rivals in the transfer market.

He said: “It does allow us to make earlier decisions and even for me to get to games that I wouldn’t necessarily have gone to.

“We have Faz and Shaun here who can take games.

“If it was something where we were going to spend some money or be really aggressive in the transfer market, there’s big decisions to be made internally.

“If I have to make a decision and it falls on my shoulders – I’m asking for more responsibility in the transfer market, like I did in January – then I have to do the dirty work as well by getting out there and making decisions for the club.”

Also read: Cameron Brannagan hails team spirit after victory at Walsall

While the coaching staff will be busy today looking to the future, United’s training ground will otherwise be empty.

As a reward for their efforts in recent weeks, which have yielded six wins from eight games, the players will not report for duty until Thursday.

Robinson said: “I’ve given them four days off, which has never been done.

“They need to rest and recover.

“They have a session to do at home on Tuesday and we’ll work very hard on Thursday.

“I’m not embarrassed to say they’ve worked very hard up to this point – 19 points from a possible 24 is an unbelievable return.”