Oxford United and Bury are both forced to make one change for today’s League Two six-pointer at Gigg Lane.

The U’s are without midfield anchorman Paul McLaren, who needed seven stitches in a cut down his Achilles tendon following last weekend’s 3-0 win over Burton.

And the Shakers will be missing central midfielder Steven Schumacher, who was sent off in their 0-0 draw at Port Vale and is suspended.

But though banned from playing, Schumacher will be helping newly-appointed caretaker manager Richie Barker, the club’s community trust head of youth, in preparing the Bury team following the departure of boss Alan Knill and his coaching staff to Scunthorpe this week.

Josh Payne appears the likely replacement for McLaren, though United manager Chris Wilder has options.

“If we want to change our shape we can do, and if we want to stay with the same we can do with Josh, who is a very talented boy,” said Wilder.

United also have new striker Ryan Doble to call upon, though after the way the trio of Steve MacLean, James Constable and Tom Craddock played against Burton, Doble may have to wait his turn from the bench.

“First and foremost, Ryan’s a good player and he’ll give us something different,” Wilder said.

“He’s a good player who wants to do well. His attitude is that he’s not just a young player coming here to see the season out, he wants to acheive in the next seven games, for himself, and that will hopefully help us.”

Doble’s pace may be a good weapon against Bury’s 6ft 7in centre half Ben Futcher, who had a loan spell with the U’s this season.

But Futcher was only among the substitutes himself for the Shakers last time out.

Bury striker Andy Bishop has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after his knee troubles returned, but they still have the division’s top scorer in Ryan Lowe, and the experienced centre back Efe Sodje.

Sodje won the Football League’s unofficial Hardman-of-the-week award a fortnight ago for playing 80 minutes against Rotherham with a broken arm. He now wears a lightweight plaster under his shirt.

Bury: (from) Belford, Eckersley, Sodje, Lees, Skarz, Haworth, Sweeney, Bennett, Lowe, Holroyd, Branagan, Picken, Futcher, John-Lewis, Jones, Harrop, Ajose, Mozika.

Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Batt, Worley, Wright, Tonkin, Heslop, Payne, Burge, MacLean, Constable, Craddock, Sangare, Hall, Potter, Hackney, Eastwood, Woodley, Doble, Clist, Purkiss, Kinniburgh.