Denis Smith was testing the water today to see whether to name an unchanged team for the Division 2 battle with Brentford at the Manor tomorrow when Oxford United will be looking for their first points of the season, writes Jon Murray.

His 5-3-2 formation, and the personnel, for the Worthington Cup tie at Wolves was an unmitigated success. But will it work as well at home, and in the cauldron of a highly-competitive league game?

"My first reaction after Tuesday was not to keep an unchanged team because that was a side designed to play against Wolves, and put out to do a specific job. We played more as a five than a three at the back.

"But they did it very well. I've got to see whether they could do it with different adjustments for Saturday, and I'm just not sure at the moment. I'll look at it in training." Smith said that both Dean Whitehead and John Shepheard deserve another chance. And with Ian McGuckin still rated doubtful with his back injury, although he has returned to training, Shepheard's chances look good, unless the manager decides he needs to revert to a flat back four.

"You can talk about formations and systems until the cows come home, but it all boils down to workrate. Tuesday night was 90 per cent perspiration, ten per cent inspiration and they've got to work that hard every week if they can.

The Bees have had big injury problems in their defence and at Bristol City on Tuesday they lost striker Lloyd Owusu with a dislocated shoulder.

There were fears, when he was flat-out on the ground injured, that he may have neck damage so he was not moved until paramedics arrived and that, plus several other hold-ups, meant the first half at Ashton Gate lasted 67 minutes.

Left back Paul Gibbs was also stretchered off with a leg injury. Brentford, who have drawn their first three matches, will have their 150,000 new signing from Raith, Frenchman Jean-Marie Javary, on the left side of midfield and are expected to play a 5-3-2 system.