Craig Farrell looks set to return to Oxford United’s starting line-up against Mansfield today after his impressive second-half performance as a sub last week.

The on-loan York City striker could come in as a straight swap for the suspended Lewis Haldane, with the U’s reverting to 4-4-2 and Farrell linking up in attack with 15-goal top scorer James Constable.

There are expected to be few other changes to a U’s side unbeaten in the league in 2009, though a positional one will need to be made and that could see Adam Chapman moving out to the right side of midfield.

Asked about his options with Haldane out, U’s boss Chris Wilder said: “We can play Chapman wide right, and I quite like him and (Damian) Batt being an attacking force down the right, because Batt’s an attacking full back.

“We’ve got Yemi (Odubade) who can go there, and we can play Farrell wide right – that’s an option as well.”

Something has to give because Mansfield too are on a great run, unbeaten in six games under their new manager, David Holdsworth.

Holdsworth said he is expecting a difficult match, but he feels Oxford’s 3-1 win at Field Mill in December will have no bearing on this game.

“They are one of the biggest clubs in the division, but have struggled because of the high expectations,” he said.

“They have not been beaten in the league this year – their only defeat came in the FA Trophy at home to York – scoring ten goals and only conceding two at home.

“But that stat has to change some time and I want us to be the team and me to be the manager to do it.

“I am not interested in what happened between the two sides before I was here.

“What concerns me is that I have been unbeaten since I came in and I want to maintain that.”

The Stags are without Scott Gardner, who tore his hamstring during the 0-0 draw with Kettering in midweek and is out for six weeks.

Oxford have the incentive of knowing that victory would lift them to eighth in the table.

And with a full Blue Square Premier programme on Tuesday – Oxford and Mansfield being the only teams not playing as this fixture has been brought forward from that date – teams in and around the play-off places will play some of their games in hand, giving the table a different look.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Batt, Willmott, Foster, Carruthers, Chapman, Murray, Clist, Nelthorpe, Farrell, Constable, Hinchliffe, Odubade, Hutchinson, Day, Burnell, Clarke.

Mansfield Tn: (from) Marriott, Silk, Moses, Garner, Mayo, Arnold, Somner, D'Laryea, Briscoe, Duffy, Woodhouse, Blackwood, O’Hare, Stallard, White, MacKenzie.