Andy Whing is relishing the chance to see how he measures up against a true European football star when Oxford United visit Barnet in the FA Cup first round tomorrow.

The Bees’ midfield is likely to include Edgar Davids, whose former clubs include Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Results have been transformed since the former Netherlands international’s arrival last month.

Barnet, who failed to win any of their opening 14 games of the campaign, have won two games and drawn the other in Davids’ three appearances.

United are also in decent form as they head to north London, with three wins from their last five games.

Whing cannot wait to begin another FA Cup campaign and is keen to test himself against a Champions League winner, who is set for his debut in the competition.

“It will be nice to see if he’s quicker than me at 39-years-old,” he joked.

“They’ve picked up well since he’s been there, so it will be good to pit your wits against someone like that – what he’s done in the game has been unbelievable.

“The FA Cup’s massive, it’s the biggest cup competition in the world.

“Even when it’s the first round it’s still big – you’re only a couple of games away from maybe drawing a really big club.”

Whing knows all about the benefits a good run in the FA Cup can bring, after being part of a Leyton Orient side which took Arsenal to a fifth-round replay two seasons ago.

The 28-year-old hopes a similar sequence would boost United’s position in npower League Two.

He said: “If we can win at Barnet then it gives us extra confidence for the league game against Dagenham on Tuesday and that’s how you can kick on.”