Oxford United defender Elliott Moore will not be rushed back from injury, head coach Karl Robinson has suggested.

The 24-year-old picked up the injury when getting into his car last Friday, which ruled him out of the U’s 0-0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers the following day.

Moore has been back in training this week, but Robinson has suggested it’s important not to rush his return.

“We’re seeing how he gets through training today,” he said via the Oxford Mail.

“There’s some stiffness there. When you have a back issue you want to really put that to bed and that might take a little bit longer than it needs.

“We’ll make a decision over the next 24 hours,” Robinson added.

Elsewhere for the U's, Sam Long returned to action during last weekend’s draw with Wycombe after being out for several weeks.

After overcoming a hamstring problem, Long then contracted Covid-19, after recovering from which he then sustained a calf injury.

Anthony Forde has filled in at right back in his absence, and Robinson says Long’s return doesn’t necessarily mean an immediate change.

“We will change if we think it’s right,” he explained.

“I go back to that performance on Saturday as one of the ones I’ve enjoyed the most this season.

“We’ve had a good week, we’ve got a lot of things into them that we wanted to and we’re only going to keep getting better,” Robinson vowed.

Striker Sam Winnall will also be assessed before this weekend’s visit to Cheltenham, after suffering a hip injury in training last week.

The Verdict

Elliott Moore played in every minute of League One action for Oxford United last season, so will be incredibly frustrated to have only featured in three of the U's opening seven matches this campaign after suffering with illness and injury.

Sam Long’s return to action is a positive, but given Oxford’s decent start to the season, it’s perhaps understandable Karl Robinson may not see the need to throw him straight back into the U's starting line-up.