One way or the other, Oxford United's Blue Square Premier home game against Cambridge United on Tuesday night could be a defining moment in their season.

Boss Darren Patterson knows that, with the U's languishing above the relegation places only on goal difference, and only nine points gleaned from the first ten games, wins are needed if he is to remain as manager.

Poor results have led to a drop in gates, which has only exacerbated the club's financial difficulties, and the only way to get fans back through the turnstiles is by getting some victories on the board.

And on Monday night there were reports that the crisis was deepening with the club battling to stay out of administration.

But on the pitch, it's crunch time, for Patterson and the team.

However, the manager does hope to have some key players back as they look to beat their Setanta hoodoo.

James Constable and Jamie Guy have trained together again and look set to resume their striking partnership.

Luke Foster, last season's player of the year, has now completed his four-game suspension and could return to the starting line-up.

Patterson said: "We put Constable in against Kidderminster, but he clearly wasn't right, and because he'd not trained much last week we didn't use him last Saturday.

"But he and Jamie trained on Monday and he has responded very well.

"We're sweating on Billy Turley, with his groin strain, and on Karleigh Osborne, who picked up a knock on Saturday and didn't train yesterday.

"Luke has played for England C last week and in a practice game and has been working hard twice a day, his attitude has been first-class.

"I've backed him with that last red card and have been delighted in his determination to get back to the way he was last season. That's what we want, we want him back to that type of form."

Turley's late fitness test will determine whether he plays, and Osborne's will clarify how the defence lines up.

Oxford are on a run of ten live TV matches without a victory, a record that began on Sky Sports in the play-off semi-final, second leg 18 months ago.

But they will be pleased to learn that Cambridge also hate being on Setanta, having unexpectedly lost their last three league games when being screened live, including a 2-0 home defeat against Kettering this term.

League sponsors Blue Square make Cambridge slight favourites to win the game at 7-5, with Oxford 17-10 and the draw 9-4.

They also offer 6-1 against an Oxford player being sent off, as has happened in their two previous live games.

Patterson said: "I don't see it any different being on TV. We'll be positive and will be going for the win.

"It was the second half on Saturday that disappointed me most because we just fizzled out really with not many attempts on goal.

"But we weren't that far off getting something in each of the last two games and we could have been talking about six games unbeaten."

Cambridge, who on Saturday played a 4-4-2 formation with three central midfielders and Dutch winger Felino Jardim out wide, starting on the left then changing to the right, are unbeaten in five away games.

Boss Gary Brabin has fitness concerns over right back Danny Gleeson.

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

Cambridge Utd: (from) Potter, Gleeson, Tonkin, Bolland, Hatswell, Jardim, Challinor, Carden, Brown, Holroyd, McEvilly, Crow, Drench, Coulson, Convery, Jones.