CHRIS Maguire believes Oxford United’s Emirates FA Cup upsets this season will be worrying Middlesbrough when the sides meet today.

The U’s are into the fifth round for the first time in 23 years, thanks to back-to-back wins against Sky Bet Championship sides.

Rotherham United and Newcastle United have been second best to Michael Appleton’s men who now take aim at another scalp, this time away to a Premier League side.

It is a reversal of the role the U’s experienced in the early rounds of the competition and Maguire knows there will be a tension among the Boro players.

He said: “They’re in a no-win situation.

“They’re expected to win and if they do, they won’t get the praise you should get – it’s basically like us against Macclesfield in the second round.

“We were expected to win and if we didn’t that’s when the headlines come out.

“It’s down to us and it’s up to us to try and steal the headlines for the right reasons.

“We’re definitely going there with intentions to win – it’s not about making up the numbers.”

Maguire has played at the Riverside for Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham, so knows what to expect.

And after United produced some superb football to beat the Millers 3-2 away in the third round last month, the Scot is confident they will enjoy the big stage.

He said: “In the cup we’ve played against a couple of Championship teams and held our own.

“I think we were the better team at Rotherham with the way we passed the ball on a good pitch. “It will be no different this time, it will be a great surface and we like to try to play good football.

“If we can do our thing then I’m sure they will be in for a tough game.”

Joe Skarz will return to the squad after missing Tuesday night’s league defeat to Southend United with a virus.

With Jack Stevens cup-tied, youth team goalkeeper Manny Agboola has been recalled from his loan at North Leigh and is due to be named on the bench,

The hosts’ only injury is to right back Antonio Barragan, while January signing Adlene Guediora is cup-tied after appearing for Watford in the fourth round.

TODAY’S SQUADS

Middlesbrough: from Konstantopoulos, Da Silva, Ayala, Espinosa, Friend, Clayton, Leadbitter, Traore, Ramirez, Downing, Gestede, Bamford, Fischer, Stuani, Negredo, Forshaw, de Roon, Fry, Valdes.

Oxford Utd: from Eastwood, Edwards, Dunkley, Nelson, Johnson, Sercombe, Lundstram, Ledson, Maguire, Hall, Martinez, Hemmings, McAleny, Rothwell, Ruffels, Raglan, Skarz, Agboola.