Oxford without injured forward Marcus Browne for Morecambe visit

Oxford forward Marcus Browne is out of the visit of Morecambe as he is set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

The 24-year-old is awaiting the results of a scan on a knee injury sustained in Tuesday’s defeat to Lincoln but head coach Karl Robinson is already expecting bad news.

Fellow wingers Yanic Wildschut and Josh Murphy (both hamstring) are not set to return for three months and four weeks respectively while striker Sam Baldock’s recovery from a thigh issue is likely to be another six weeks.

As a result Robinson is looking to the transfer market to alleviate his selection problems.

Morecambe are awaiting a prognosis on defender Max Melbourne after he was carried off on a stretcher in the midweek defeat to Bolton.

The 23-year-old appeared to sustain a hamstring injury but will not know how long he is expected to be out for until the results of a scan are returned.

Striker Cole Stockton has missed the last two matches through illness but could return at the weekend.

Fellow forward Courtney Duffus remains a long-term absentee.