OXFORD United’s strikers should feel their places are under threat after going ten games without a single goal from open play, according to Derek Fazackerley.

James Roberts was the last player to find the net, scoring a late equaliser against Exeter City in January.

Since then the side has mustered a mere eight goals, meaning while they have been defensively solid, results have been patchy.

United do have top scorer Danny Hylton, who converted from the penalty spot in the 3-0 win over Mansfield Town last month, available for tomorrow’s trip to Shrewsbury Town after a suspension.

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But before the ban, he and Patrick Hoban struggled to turn flashes of link-up play into goals and Fazackerley knows it is a problem which must be solved.

United’s assistant head coach said: “There’s no doubt about it, if we are to improve in certain areas we need our forwards to score more goals.

“The Exeter game is a good long time ago and it’s certainly not through lack of effort or chances, (but) it’s one of those things we need to put right.

“With the run of games we’ve had without scoring, obviously Pat’s not scored the goals he would’ve liked.

“Anybody at this moment who shows a little bit of form is certainly in a position where he’s challenging for a place in the team.

“As a striker, I don’t think you can play the number of games we’ve played without scoring goals and not feel threatened by the people that are sat on the bench.

“It’s something we’ll have to look at moving forward.”

United fans chanted for Roberts to be brought on during Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat to Hartlepool United.

The 18-year-old, who has five goals this season played the final half hour to push his claims for inclusion at Shrewsbury.

“Certainly he comes into our thoughts, like every other striker,” Fazackerley said.

“Between now and the end of the season I think they’ll get their share of games.

“But what we need to see is one of the strikers hitting a run of form and suddenly finding goals from somewhere.”

Armand Gnanduillet, yet to start since joining on loan, offers a different option, but there are still question marks over Will Hoskins.

Injuries have restricted the 28-year-old to half a dozen appearances this season.

While Hoskins came through 90 minutes for the development side on Tuesday, Fazackerley could not say if the former Watford and Brighton striker was ready for first-team action.

He said: “It’s difficult to say at this moment, the development games don’t have the same intensity of the League Two games.”