MALCOLM Shotton has ruled Nicky Banger out of an early return at Maine Road tomorrow when the gate could be the biggest Oxford United have played in front of this season.

There were 27,643 to watch United at Sunderland last September and with Manchester City fans encouraged by a run of three wins in four matches after a depressing season, tomorrow's crowd might just top that.

Banger played 80 minutes for United's reserves in their 1-0 triumph at Millwall on Wednesday, but Shotton feels he is still two weeks away from being fully match-sharp.

Paul Powell is added to the squad and could come back into the side as the U's manager ponders whether to change systems - partly to combat on-loan Peter Beardsley, who has proved a major threat in his last two games in a position just behind the two strikers.

Had O'Neill Donaldson still been at Oxford, the new manager would almost certainly have stuck to the familiar 4-4-2 formation with which the players feel most happy. But Simon Weatherstone had a disappointing match against Crewe and it's a toss-up whether Shotton will plump for Weatherstone, Jamie Cook or Powell.

He could have Powell in as an extra midfielder, leaving someone such as Martin Gray much deeper to try to negate Beardsley.

Shotton said: "I'm giving it some thought. We will go through two or three different systems in training to see what looks best.

"Manchester City are a big club and really are in a false position.

"Joe Royle's gone back there and done a good job. Similar to me, he's an old player, so he really has the club at heart.

"But we've got to do what we're good at and we're looking to go there and win. I play to win and the lads have got that now mentally installed in the way they play."

Royle is expected to stick by the side which beat Huddersfield 3-1 this week. Kit Symons will need a fitness test on a groin strain and right wing-back Richard Edghill and midfield wizard Georgi Kinkladze are fighting to be fit.

UNITED will have a good following at Maine Road. The London Road Tra-vel Club are taking five coachloads and an estimated 1,000 supporters will be there.

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