OXFORD United are looking into different ways of managing Ricky Holmes’s back problem, which is expected to rule him out of tonight’s game at the Valley.

The winger is likely to travel to his former side, but will almost certainly be a spectator, just as he was at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

It limits boss Karl Robinson’s options further in the wake of Shandon Baptiste’s dislocated shoulder at the weekend, with United fearing the midfielder could be facing a long lay-off.

Holmes has an ongoing issue and the U’s are trying to devise methods of getting the best out of him.

Robinson said: “We’ll take him again, but the probability is that he won’t be fit.

“A chiropractor is something that hasn’t been done before and there are opportunities for different recovery methods.

“The problem we’ve had is we’ve had so many injuries that Ricky has been playing with the problem for most of the season, but he’s the type of player that puts his body on the line week-in,

week-out.”

Cameron Brannagan is available again after suspension, but there are real concerns over Baptiste, who went for a scan yesterday.

Robinson said: “The last time it was four months (out), but you just don’t know the severity of it.

“We’ll stay calm with it and wait to find out, but again it would be another massive loss to us.”

Krystian Bielik is expected to keep his starting place despite coming off late in Saturday’s win over Barnsley with cramp.

Patrick Bauer (knee) and Lewis Page (groin) are out, while it is too soon for Billy Clarke.

TONIGHT’S LINE-UPS

Charlton Ath: from Steer, Dijksteel, Pearce, Bielik, Solly, Cullen, Reeves, Aribo, Ward, Taylor, Grant, Ajose, Lapslie, Pratley, Fosu-Henry, Marshall, Sarr, Phillips.

Oxford Utd: from Eastwood, McMahon, Nelson, Dickie, Ruffels, Mousinho, Brannagan, Henry, Whyte, Browne, Mackie, Smith, Holmes, Carruthers, Hanson, Long, Raglan, Garbutt, Mitchell.