OXFORD United are out to beat one of their biggest bogey teams today as they bid to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Over the past 15 years, Wrexham have invariably been horrible opposition for the U’s.

Oxford took just two points out of a possible 15 against them during the 1990s, and this decade has been no better, with just one point out of a possible 18.

Een that point proved disastrous as it came at the Racecourse Ground in their penultimate match in the Football League in 2006, when they desperately needed a win to stay up.

Much has changed at both clubs over the past year, however, with Chris Wilder helping to bring a winning mentality to the Oxford team, who are on a run of just one defeat in 18 league games.

And at Wrexham, who are vying with Oxford for the tag of the biggest club in non-League football, their new boss Dean Saunders has been battling on two fronts.

Firstly with a team that has many young players who haven’t fully come to terms with Conference football, and then with internal strife which has led him to stall on any commitment to his future at the club.

Former U’s star Saunders stated last week: “I want to be at a club that’s together, not pulling in different directions.”

U’s boss Chris Wilder has high regard for Saunders’s coaching and management ability, and his infectious enthusiasm.

“Dean’s a great guy, he’s got such a bubbly personality and he loves his football,” said Wilder, who played alongside Saunders for a few months.

“I played with Dean at Sheffield United for half a season.

“He’s had a fantastic career. I like the way he interacts with everybody, even all the youth-team players, and he’s worked at the top level, of course, at Newcastle and with Wales.

“I know the way he likes to play the game so I’m expecting a football game, and it makes a nice change to say that after last week.

“They won’t be coming with spoiling tactics, they won’t be time-wasting all the time, they’ll want to come and play the game in the right way.”

United’s only injury doubt concerned centre half Luke Foster, but he is expected to play.

“It’s a bit of a recurrence of what I had earlier in the season,” Foster said.

“I just rolled it a bit at York on Tuesday night, but it should be OK.”

Fozzie, as he is known, has bad memories from his previous encounter with Wrexham, after getting a red card in United’s 2-0 defeat at the Racecourse.

“I want to make sure that I stay on the pitch for 90 minutes and that we get the three points,” he said.

“It’s a massive game. The lads were absolutely gutted that we couldn’t get the win at York, but we still didn’t lose and that point might still be useful.

“Our fans have been unbelievable for us and it makes so much of a difference from the first minute when they’re behind us like they were last Saturday.”

Craig Farrell is available again for the U’s, though Adam Murray is expected to continue again just behind leading scorer James Constable, with Farrell likely to be on the bench.

Yemi Odubade, who is also likely to be a sub, will make his 150th Oxford United appearance if he comes on.

Saunders used no fewer than four centre-backs in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at home to Histon – Ashley Westwood, Aurelien Collin, ex-Manchester United youngster John Curtis and former Leeds defender Mani Assoumani, who made his debut.

Westwood and Curtis are expected to revert to their usual full-back roles, while Mike Williams and ex-Came-roon international Patrick Suffo could also feature.

Faroe Island international keeper Gunnar Nielsen, who is on loan from Manchester City, keeps his place after displacing Gavin Ward as No 1.

Former United striker Jefferson Louis will lead the line for the Red Dragons, who have won only twice in their last 13 games.

Matt Jansen has returned to Blackburn after suffering a recurrence of a knee injury during his loan spell.

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

Wrexham: (from) Nielsen, Curtis, West-wood, Collin, Assoumani, Williams, Flem-ing, Crofts, Flynn, Brown, Louis, Anoruo, Williamson, Taylor, Spann, Suffo.