KARL Robinson will have the next few weeks in mind when he selects a much-changed side at Bristol Rovers tomorrow.

The Emirates FA Cup first round replay continues a run of five games in 15 days for Oxford United, before they head into the busy Christmas period.

Victory at the Memorial Stadium would give the U’s a home tie against Sutton United on the first weekend of December, but lose tomorrow and they could instead visit Sunderland in their rearranged Sky Bet League One game that day.

Read also: Simon Eastwood's joy at first league clean sheet since February 2020

With a few players nursing minor injuries or illness, Robinson is making no apologies for looking ahead.

United's head coach said: “I think it’s important when you make a lot of changes that you tell fans and at least when they turn up it’s not a shock.

“One of our players has got tonsillitis, he certainly won’t be travelling.

“There’s one or two little niggles and stiffnesses that we won’t risk and I don’t see why we should have to.

“If we win, we’ve got a number of games and then you’ve got to go to Sunderland on a Tuesday night.

“If we get knocked out, we play Sunderland on a Saturday.

“The team that we put on the pitch will certainly be very competitive and do its best to try to get a result.

“A lot of these changes are players the fans have been asking to see.”

One player United and Rovers fans will be interested in is Matty Taylor, who left the Memorial Stadium for bitter rivals Bristol City in January 2017.

The former Pirates striker received plenty of abuse from the away section in last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the Kassam Stadium, when he scored the opening goal.

Taylor appeared to suffer an arm injury during Saturday’s stalemate at Ipswich Town and Robinson expects to know more today.

Speaking this morning, he said: “I think he milked it a little bit, so we’ll see.

“I know how he was yesterday, but I’m sure we’ll have a better understanding of where that is.”

United’s starting XI will include several players who have lacked minutes in recent weeks, but the rule allowing nine substitutes per side in the Cup means it will be a strong bench too.

“We’re taking every (available) first-team member, there will be no kids travelling,” Robinson said.

“Since we’ve drawn this game, I’ve seen the level of training improve because the players know it’s another game they have to be ready for.”