Chris Wilder thinks his team have already been written off ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime derby clash with Swindon – but warned that the U’s should not be under-estimated.

Injuries this week to captain Jake Wright and influential midfielder Peter Leven mean that United go into the crunch clash against the npower League Two table-toppers well under-strength.

But Wilder knows that there is nothing like a derby clash to bring out the best in players.

And he is backing his beleagured squad to defy the odds and record only the second double over Swindon in the club’s history following their 2-1 victory at the County Ground in August.

“The players know the importance of the match,” he said.

“And of course it could come down to the people that handle the situation the best.

“The players who show the fire and the determination to do well in games like this, but who can make the correct decision in the heat of the moment.”

He added: “With the two bits of news this week about our injuries, I’m sure we’ve been written off by a lot of people.

“You can’t get away from the fact that Swindon are on a fantastic team and are heavily backed financially.

“But there’s a lot of pride in our dressing room and a lot of focus – don’t under-estimate my players.”

With Alfie Potter, Tom Craddock, Jon-Paul Pittman and Simon Heslop being joined in the treatment room by Leven and Wright, United have six first-team players out injured.

But Wilder says that it’s something the club have just got to deal with.

“I can’t control injuries,” Wilder said.

“There’s no point me saying ‘if only we had Leven, if only we had this or that’ – I have to look forward now to the remaining 14 games because there is still a lot to play for.

“Swindon should be at the top of the league with the backing they have, but my disappointment is that this isn’t a top-of-the-table clash.

“We should have scored more goals and it shouldn’t just be a local derby, but a automatic promotion local derby.”

Swindon are nearly at full-strength, with only long-term groin injury victim Aden Flint out.

Oxford Utd: from Clarke, Batt, Duberry, Worley, Davis, Johnson, Whing, Wilson, Holmes, Constable, Rendell, Hall, McLaren, Chap-man, Tonkin, Brown, Marsh.

Swindon Tn: probable Foderingham; Caddis, Devera, McCormack, Cibocchi; Ritchie, Ferry, Risser, Rooney; Benson, Bodin. Subs: Kennedy, Cox, Smith, Connell, Murray.