All the pressure is on Oxford United this afternoon, but head coach Michael Appleton expects them to handle it against a “dangerous” Newport County.

Both sides made slow starts to the season, but while the U’s are still waiting for lift-off, today’s visitors are seven games unbeaten.

County beat AFC Wimbledon 4-1 last weekend, their biggest win for more than a year, which Appleton thinks will give them freedom.

He said: “I can imagine this being almost like a free game for them, because they’ve had a great result last week and some good ones previous to that.

Latest United news:

“The pressure’s all on us, which is fine. I expect us to deal with that.

“They become really dangerous because they’ll have no pressure on them.”

All eyes will be on today’s teamsheet to see if fit-again goalkeeper Ryan Clarke and midfielder Andy Whing are included for the first time this season.

The only certainty is Appleton will not be naming the same XI for the fourth game in a row.

He said: “As it stands, other than Will Hoskins everybody is available for selection.

“There will be changes – how many, who knows, but there certainly will be.”

Newport could only name five substitutes last week due to a lengthy injury list, which includes Rene Howe and Mike Flynn.

Their problems have eased slightly with back-up goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley recovering from a virus and teenage striker James Loveridge signing on loan from Swansea City.

TODAY’S SQUADS

Oxford Utd: from Clarke, Riley, Mullins, Wright, Newey, Collins, Ruffels, Hylton, Howard, O’Dowda, Barnett, Morris, Jakubiak, Brown, Potter, Whing, Meades, Raynes, Hunt, G Long.

Newport Co: from Day, Yakubu, Jones, Tancock, Willmott, Chapman, Minshull, Byrne, Sandell, Zebroski, Pigott, O’Connor, Klukowski, Crow, Poole, Owen-Evans, Loveridge, Pidgeley.

  •  Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.