Oxford United are aiming to turn their season around in the space of four days.

The disappointing start to the campaign will be forgotten if the U's can upset table-toppng Crawley at home today, and then follow that up by beating varsity city rivals Cambridge United on Tuesday.

But it's a big ask as Oxford haven't won back-to-back Saturday and midweek home games since 2003, when they managed victories against Northampton and Torquay on September 27 and October 1.

But the mood in the camp is positive and manager Darren Patterson knows the team are more than capable of it.

He said: "We know we've got a brilliant opportunity in the next two games. With Crawley top of the league and Cambridge, they're two great games for us, at home with our magnificent support.

"We're looking for six points, though I'm under no illusion about how difficult they are going to be.

"If we do that, then all of a sudden people are saying 'what problems?'

"We can flip this on its head within a week and that's what we're aiming for, but we're really focusing on Crawley, because the report we've got on them is the best we've had this season."

Crawley are a very strong attacking unit who have already this season put five goals past Northwich, beaten Torquay 3-1 and won 1-0 at Rushden, which is never an easy place to go.

One of the keys to their attacking threat is ex-U's midfielder Jamie Cook, a player Patterson tried to get in June.

He said: "We all know I spoke to Jamie in the summer and I'm a bit disappointed how it ended up, but he made his decision and we move on."

Billy Turley looks set to return in goal, and Phil Trainer will probably be back, either from the start or on the bench.

And United will be hoping strikers James Constable and Jamie Guy have not suffered any reaction to returning to full training after recent injuries.

"We've had to use games to get people fit again, we've had to do it with all of them," said United's manager.

"Jamie Guy needed two or three 90 minutes before he came back, but we haven't had that chance. Wwe haven't been able to put out our best team, fully fit.

"There's nothing wrong with the spirit here, despite what some mischievous people want to put in the non-League papers.

"We know we're not far off, but we've got to be more clinical in front of goal."

Paul Evans makes his home debut while Luke Foster sits out the final game of his four-match suspension.

Also suspended is Crawley manager Steve Evans, who is in the middle of a 20-match ban from football – with ten of the games suspended – after being sent from the touchline in four games last season.

Evans, who is without striker Lewis Killeen after he was stretchered off against Mansfield, said: "This is a real tough one.

"It's over-achievers – which is us – against under-achievers, which is Oxford.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Quinn, Willmott, Osborne, Carruthers, Murray, Burnell, Evans, Trainer, Constable, Guy, Odubade, Hinchliffe, Haldane, Reid, Deering, Clarke.

Crawley Tn: (from) Rayner, Rents, Wright, Quinn, Wilson, Pinault, Forrest, Weatherstone, Bulman, Cook, Fletcher, Thomas, Douglas, Giles, Stevens, Pittman, Carter.