SAMIR Carruthers has vowed to play through the pain tonight as Oxford United search for an end to their slump.

Luton Town visit the Kassam Stadium looking to pile the pressure on Karl Robinson’s side, who have lost seven of their ten games in Sky Bet League One.

But the hosts will have one extra attacking option in reserve, with Carruthers set to make his first appearance since the first day of the season.

A knee injury has kept the 25-year-old out since then, but after returning to training last week, he has been earmarked for a cameo role off the bench against the Hatters.

And while he is short of fitness, the Sheffield United loanee just wants to get back on the pitch.

He said: “I want to get out there and do everything I can to help the lads, even if it means I have to put myself through the pain barrier.

“My knee’s not 100 per cent, but it will get stronger.

“If the gaffer wants me to come on for five minutes, or at half-time I’ll do it. Every footballer’s mind is like that.

“I have no doubts myself.

“Even when I was out and shouldn’t have been doing things I was saying ‘let’s just get on with it and crack on’.

“Nothing’s going to hold me back.”

United have performed better than their results would suggest, but problems at both ends have undermined the campaign.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell knows they are in need of a catalyst to get them out of the rut, but is in no doubt their approach is the right one.

He said: “We’re all desperate to be that person and change the way it’s going.

“We have to just play our game, stay focused and eventually with the way we’re playing and the quality we’ve got in the side things have got to change.

“Hopefully it can start on Tuesday night.

“We need to stick to our game plan.

“That’s how we’ll win games.”