MANAGER Brian Talbot looks set to make at least two changes as he tries to get Oxford United's league campaign up and running again against Lincoln City tonight.

The League Two game at the Kassam Stadium has been brought forward from tomorrow because the club were worried about getting a poor gate on the final shopping Saturday before Christmas.

But with the team struggling to get into a winning vein, it is still likely to be a sub-5,000 attendance, so the players will have to create their own atmosphere by lifting the crowd.

If he has recovered from his thigh strain, Chris Hargreaves will return to the midfield after missing Tuesday's FA Cup replay defeat by Cheltenham, while Craig Davies could start on the left of midfield.

The transfer-listed Wales international did more in his short time as a second-half substitute than on-loan Adam Griffin.

Talbot may also try to find room for loanee striker Scott Fitzgerald, who scored a fine goal in his one appearance in the first team, at home to Grimsby, and also netted in the reserves' midweek game at Southend.

Talbot has had the dilemma of whether to rotate his squad, Rafael Benitez-style, to make use of his loan players, or to stick with a settled side.

But with some players clearly tired by so many games, maybe this is the time to look for that bit of "freshness" that Fitzgerald would bring, though the only way he could do that would be to play a 4-3-3 formation - as Lincoln do.

Talbot, who also has Neville Roach and Andy Campbell as options, said: "The loan players come into my thinking now because they couldn't play in the FA Cup. To be honest, I've been having to duck and dive to keep the squad happy.

"Now that we're out of the FA Cup, we have to concentrate on getting some wins in the league."

Winger Chris Hackett's place is also under threat after a poor first-half display against Cheltenham.

Talbot said: "There will be one or two changes against Lincoln. I was really disappointed the other night with one or two players . . . we didn't have 11 players on the pitch who did everything they could to win the game.

"What fans want is to see their team's players giving everything to earn their money."

Lincoln have a doubt over Lee Beevers, who has not played for three games because of a foot injury. He is likely to be on the bench, along with Colin Cramb, similarly returning from a foot injury.

The Red Imps will be full of confidence after going down to ten men, against Chester on Saturday, but then hitting back to win 3-1.

Dean Keates starts a three-match ban after making an obscene gesture to the ref in that game.

How United players must have been tempted to do the same against Cheltenham!

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Mansell, Roget, Willmott, Robinson, Hackett, Hargreaves, Quinn, Griffin, Sabin, Basham, Fitzgerald, Davies, Tardif, Roach, Stirling, E'Beyer.

Lincoln City: (probable) Marriott, McAuley, McCombe, Morgan, Mayo, Kerr, Brown, Foster, Birch, Asamoah, Logan. Subs: Beevers, Cryan, J Hughs, Frecklington, Ryan.