PETER Leven says that Michael Duberry’s return can inspire Oxford United to reignite their promotion challenge.

The influential central defender has missed the last five matches with a groin injury, but is set to return when the U’s travel north to take on Morecambe on Saturday.

United have lost all five games without the former Chelsea and Leeds defender, and while Leven says that the run is not solely down to Duberry’s absence, he accepts that having the 36-year-old back will give everyone a big lift.

“Of course it will make a difference,” Leven said when asked about Duberry’s return.

“He is a real leader. He’s experienced there at the back and organises.

“We have got other players who can do it too, but you do miss him.”

Leven has quickly established himself as one of Oxford’s classiest midfielders for a number of years since joining from MK Dons in the summer.

That reputation was further enhanced by another stunning long-range effort in United’s last game – the 3-1 defeat against Cheltenham nine days ago.

His superb 30-yard free-kick reduced the deficit from 2-0 to 2-1, but ultimately was not enough to help the U’s end their poor run.

Leven has scored five times this season for United, all of them at the Kassam Stadium.

Although one came from the penalty spot, the other four have all been magical finishes.

But the Scottish midfielder says that if the team aren’t winning, his goals don’t mean as much.

“The goal (against Cheltenham) counted for nothing so it doesn’t matter how good it was,” he said. “I’d have swapped it for the three points, but it wasn’t to be.

“We’re on a bad run at the moment, but we’ve got to roll our sleeves up and get through it.

“Confidence in football is something that change in a second, and a few things are going against us at the moment.

“But hopefully at Morecambe we will have a few players back and we can get out of this little run we’re in.”