MICHAEL Appleton plans to crank up the pressure on Wanderers in front of an expectant home crowd at the Macron tomorrow.

The Oxford United boss expects a reaction from the Whites after a dismal defeat at Rochdale in midweek but is hoping his side can stave off its arrival for 90 minutes at least.

“They’re going to need to react because they’ve not won in six,” said the former Blackburn Rovers boss. “They are obviously a good side with experienced players and at some point, similar to Sheffield United, they will go again. We’ve just got to make sure it’s after Saturday.

“There will be a lot of pressure on them with it being a home game and we’ve got to try and play on that if we can do. We’ve got to start the game well.”

Oxford, who beat Rochdale at the Kassam Stadium a couple of weeks ago, have struggled away from home this season and sit 16th in League One at start of play.

They last visited the stadium nearly 18 years ago as a First Division side, Per Frandsen’s first-half goal cancelled out by Andy Thompson, but have struggled in the lower reaches of the league in recent times and even spent four seasons in the Conference.

Appleton now has them upwardly mobile again and last season’s automatic promotion from League Two was secured on particularly impressive form away from home – with just two defeats from their 23 games.

“It does excite me,” said Appleton of the impending trip to Bolton. “At the end of the day you want to play at the bigger and better stadiums.

“I hope the players are exactly the same. If they’re not, they should be and I’d want to know about it.”