Oxford United could have a direct say in the destiny of the Blue Square Premier title.

If the U's can force at least a draw at Torquay, and table-topping Aldershot win at Ebbsfleet, the Shots will be the 2007-8 champions.

It's not the way Oxford wanted the title to be decided. Back in August, they had high hopes of winning automatic promotion themselves.

But Aldershot have proved a cut above the other teams in the league, and even if they are not crowned champions this evening, it will only be to put the champagne on ice until the weekend.

United have every reason to be optimistic of getting a positive result at Plainmoor after winning their last three away games, at Stafford, Halifax and Weymouth.

But they might be wary of a Torquay backlash after the second-placed Gulls surprisingly lost 1-0 at home on Saturday to a Farsley Celtic side battling to avoid relegation.

Torquay's assistant boss Shaun North, who was a coach at Oxford last season, said afterwards: "It was just a very poor performance. You can't put out performances like that and hope to win anything.

"It wasn't the Torquay that people have seen all over the country this year."

North is one of five Oxford old boys in the Torquay camp - along with Lee Mansell, Chris Hargreaves, Tim Sills and Chris Zebroski.

Luke Foster is expected to return to United's central defence after his one-game ban.

Manager Darren Patterson may also be tempted into changes up front, where Craig McAllister and Yemi Odubade are putting pressure on Justin Richards and Matt Green.

Patterson said: "I'm not really bothered about Aldershot winning the title and am just concentrating on what we do."

And on a possible Torquay backlash after their defeat on Saturday, he said: "I'm not worried about that, really. We've had three away wins in a row and have won four of our last five, so we don't fear anyone. We'll be going there in a positive frame of mind, and to win - as we do all our games."

Torquay manager Paul Buckle, who ordered all his players in for Sunday training after the defeat by Farsley, is waiting for fitness reports on Tony Bedeau (hamstring) and centre half Chris Todd (calf).

Hargreaves, who looks nailed-on as Torquay's player-of-the-year this season, despite being 36 next month, said: "Apart from the fact that it's the old enemy, as it were, for a few of us, the way we lost on Saturday gives it a bit of extra spice.

"Oxford haven't done badly recently. I have got a lot of respect for Darren Patterson and it will be a tough game."

Torquay Utd: (from) Rayner, Mansell, Todd, Ellis, Nicholson, Bedeau, Adams, Hargreaves, Zebroski, Sills, D'Sane, Banim, Mullings, Phillips, Rice, Hill, Bedeau, Robertson.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Day, Quinn, Foster, Howard, Anaclet, Hand, Murray, Trainer, Richards, Green, McAllister, Clarke, Odubade, Pettefer, Rose, Fisher.