Russ Wilcox thrilled by tough choices as York City prepare for "huge" game against Oxford United

The Minstermen chief, now in the Bootham Crescent hot-seat for a month, must choose between goalkeepers Michael Ingham and Alex Cisak and centre-halves John McCombe and Stephane Zubar as he plots his team's first home win of the season.

With the U's a place and a point ahead of Wilcox's men in the League Two table, he is well aware of the implications a maiden three-point haul on familiar ground would have as he tries to get the team up the table.

And, having confessed he has "not had many" squad questions to answer in his first four weeks in the job since replacing Nigel Worthington, Wilcox is pleased to be able to ponder some head-scratchers.

"It's a decision I will make," he said when asked about the quandary of who to put between the posts. "They are both good goalkeepers so it is a tough decision but it is one I can comfortably make knowing that, whichever one I go with, they will perform well.

"John McCombe is also fine and he trained fully on Thursday. That's another decision I will have to make.

"I thought Zubar stepped in well (against AFC Wimbledon). To step in there at centre-half, when you have just walked through the building at 1pm, and get on the pitch like he did after 25 minutes - and perform like he did - was great.

"I know all about Zubes from my days at Bournemouth so it's another tough decision. It's great for me because I need competition for places in all areas of the pitch. That gets the best out of people."

Zubar, on a month's loan from the south coast Championship challengers, can also play at right back and Wilcox said he would consider the 28-year-old for a place on the flanks. He added: "I have not seen him play many games at right back. He certainly didn't play at right back when I was at Bournemouth.

"It's an interesting one and it does make your team bigger, which is key at this level and at set-pieces.

"It's just great to have decisions to make. I have not had many. The team has picked itself a little bit. It is a tight squad, which we want because you can have too many people sat in the stands and we don't want that.

"We want quality instead of quantity in the squad but now a few are coming back from injury. I have added a few loan players and it has certainly added more bite to the training sessions."

Wilcox has admitted the Oxford game has major importance with City yet to pick up a victory in eight League and two cup outings.

He said: "I don't want to put too much pressure on the players because I think it is important to keep them level and focused and without putting too much pressure on them.

"I think our home performances have been fairly good. We certainly should have won the cup game last week against Wimbledon. We certainly created enough opportunities to score two or three goals.

"That's what we have been working mainly on this week - work in the final third. We have got to score more goals to win football matches. One is not enough sometimes as we have shown on a few occasions.

"We need to get that second and third goal to put teams to bed. It's an area we are looking to improve on but it's a game we are looking forward to as well.

"They are down there with us as well, which is unexpected. Both teams had good seasons. Oxford faded away a little bit but they were at the top end most of (last) season so I don't think anyone expected to see York and Oxford at the bottom end.

"So it is a big, big game. A game we are going to go out there to win."

He continued: "That's where the fans come in to play and where the fans have been outstanding in the three home games that I have been involved in. They have backed the players fully and that's what they need to carry on doing. If they do that it will turn. We will get that slice of luck.

"It's going to be a big three points if we can get them and, if we do, you will see a different team coming out there at home - a more relaxed team - once we get that first win."