MICHAEL Appleton said his selection on Saturday should alert Oxford United’s players that they have to perform or face being dropped.

Junior Brown, Tom Newey and Brian Howard, who had a slight knock, were all left out of the squad in response to the 5-1 defeat at Cambridge United.

The experienced trio joined David Hunt on the sidelines as the U’s beat Tranmere Rovers 2-0 at the Kassam Stadium.

The boldest move of all saw Newey replaced by loan signing Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, who played his first senior game.

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Appleton called for a response from those on the fringes of the squad to get back in the reckoning and thought it should send a clear message that no-one should expect to play.

United’s head coach said: “Without a shadow of a doubt, no place is guaranteed in the team or the squad.

“It’s only his first game, but Tareiq is, from a DNA point of view, ideal for what I want from a full back.

“It’s difficult for the likes of Tom, Junior and Brian, who had a bit of a knock, and Hunty, but that’s life.

“They’ve got to either train and prove they deserve an opportunity in the squad, or go out on loan, play some games and then maybe come back into it. It’s as simple as that.”

While plenty of people questioned the line-up before kick-off, United’s display justified the decisions to claim an important win.

Appleton was especially pleased to overcome a Tranmere side playing for their futures under new boss Micky Adams.

He said: “With a new manager looking on in the stands you are thinking to yourself ‘are they going to get an extra 20 per cent out of their players because they’re all desperate to impress?’.

“I think that was the most impressive part of our performance, we completely nullified it.”

Holmes-Dennis’s arrival meant one of United’s six loanees had to be left out of the squad.

Alex Jakubiak was the unlucky player, but Appleton reassured the forward he is still in his plans.

He said: “I had a really good conversation with him and just said over the next two or three weeks because of the situation there’s going to be one missing out.

“It’s not necessarily going to be him all the time, it might have to be George Long at times because of him being a goalkeeper.

“It’s harsh on him, but you’ve got to make those decisions.”

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