BILLY Bodin and Josh Murphy may be involved for Oxford United’s final game of 2023, however the duo will not be unnecessarily risked.

The U’s welcome fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County on Friday night, with the sides separated by goal difference alone.

Bodin has been left out of United’s last three matchday squads, while Murphy went off at half-time in the defeat at Northampton Town, and failed a late fitness test on his calf prior to the late win at home to Cambridge United yesterday.

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On Murphy, U’s head coach Des Buckingham said: “I’m hopeful he should be okay for Derby, but we’ll get him scanned to make sure that is the case.

“We don’t need to cause any more issues than we need to.”

Buckingham added: “There’s no serious problem with Bill. We’ll see if he’s right for Derby, but he’s going to be touch and go.

“The timeframe is to have him in the matchday squad for at least Charlton [on New Year’s Day] and it’s just going to be a decision on whether we involve him, and how involved he is, for Derby.

“It’s the same as Murph, we could play him and involve him, but if we did that, there’s potential that we lose him for three or four weeks, which we don’t want to do.”