FIGURING out which Oxford United players are physically ready for selection against AFC Wimbledon tomorrow should be straightforward.

But gauging who is struggling emotionally in the wake of a draining derby clash, in the context of five games in 15 days, is another matter and will dominate head coach Michael Appleton’s preparation.

The wide-eyed expressions on the faces of United's players after the 2-0 victory against Swindon Town, played in front of a raucous 9,000-strong crowd, showed how much of an adrenalin rush it had been.

Coming back down and re-focusing to get in the right frame of mind to deliver again tomorrow is no easy task.

Appleton has stressed all week results in Sky Bet League Two are his priority, but is very aware tomorrow could easily have an after the Lord Mayor’s Show feel.

He said: “I know from experience how difficult it is to raise it again, against a side that probably people would expect us to beat at home.

“We just have to make sure we bring as much energy on Saturday as we did the other night.”

To guard against the problem, the U’s boss will be keeping a close eye on his players during the build-up.

He said: “You do get a sense from someone, just from their body language.

“If they’re not quite as bubbly as normal they might have issues at home, but ultimately they might just be tired emotionally.

“It’s very difficult and sometimes unfortunately you don’t get to know until the game goes ahead and that’s when you might have to make a change.

“Some have bigger personalities and stronger characters and we just have to get the balance right.

“You make decisions and some people wonder why, but again I’ll say it that I get to spend almost 24/7 with the players and get an understanding of who is in the right frame of mind and who can deal with the game.”

The combination of a derby game and a congested period of fixtures heightens the importance, but it is part of Appleton’s routine.

He said: “It’s part of management and that’s why a lot of the time at the start of the week I allow (assistant coaches) Chrissy (Allen) and Faz (Derek Fazackerley) to do the majority of the training.

“It just gives me an opportunity to step back and have a look at the players.

“If I see a couple who look a bit moody I try to dig a little bit deeper to find out what the issues are.

“If I need to do something to get them in the right frame of mind than at least I know that.”