CURTIS Nelson believes Oxford United’s bumper away turnout will be intimidating for Blackpool this afternoon.

The U’s had sold more than 1,000 tickets for the 400-mile round trip to the seaside a week ago and with supporters able to buy on the day, the final figure could be above 1,500.

It will make up a significant proportion of the attendance at Bloomfield Road, where average gates this season are under 4,000.

And Nelson believes the mass turnout from the travelling fans will have an impact on the Tangerines.

He said: “They will be intimidated that we’re bringing so many fans.

“It’s a credit to them for following us all the way up to Blackpool. It’s brilliant.”

The United skipper was planning to speak with his former teammates at Plymouth Argyle to get some inside information on today’s hosts, who won 3-1 in Devon on Tuesday night.

It came as Pep Clotet’s side were drawing 2-2 with Bradford City, in an entertaining game where they came from behind to lead, before conceding a 94th-minute equaliser.

The result did preserve United’s unbeaten league record at the Kassam Stadium, but Blackpool have been even more impressive on home soil this season.

Gary Bowyer’s men have taken nine points out of nine so far, which for Nelson only adds to United’s motivation today.

He said: “They have a 100 per cent record and in the same way Bradford were coming to try to screw up our home record, we’ll be going there trying to do that to them.

“It’s a challenge. You have to give yourself something to get up for to win games of football and make the fans happy.

“From what I’ve heard they like to try to play.

“They are full of confidence after coming up and it will be a tough test for us, so it will be a good game.”

Former U’s loanee Armand Gnanduillet is out injured, along with fellow striker Mark Cullen.

Fit-again top-scorer Sean Longstaff is expected to return to the XI in midfield, having featured as a substitute in Tuesday’s 3-1 victory at Plymouth Argyle.

TODAY’S LINE-UPS

Blackpool: from Allsop, Mellor, Robertson, Tilt, Turton, Longstaff, Ryan, Solomon-Otabor, Daniel, Cooke, Vassell, Delfouneso, Quigley, D’Almeida, Clayton, Aimson, Taylor, Williams.

Oxford Utd: from Eastwood, Mousinho, Nelson, Williamson, Ricardinho, Hall, Ledson, Rothwell, Henry, Payne, Thomas, Van Kessel, Mowatt, Xemi, Ruffels, Martin, Carroll, Shearer.