Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth hailed the Chairboys fans as a predicted 1,800 are likely to make the trip to Oxford on Saturday for a mouthwatering M40 derby at the Kassam Stadium.

Both teams are battling to avoid relegation from League One with Oxford having an upturn in form in recent weeks and Wycombe coming back from a break in the fixtures last weekend.

Ainsworth knows the importance of the clash and thanked the fans, who will be turning out in their droves on Saturday afternoon.

He said: "The fans are awesome. I can't thank them enough and it will be a great occasion.

"Our fans are fantastic and they are really behind the boys. I have had some great comments and all I have to do is turn up at Oxford and see the numbers.

"You don't get that if they are not with the team and not all pushing for the completion of this five-year plan in place.

"I thank the fans in advance and I promise we will give our all and we will in the seven games after that as well.

"After 46 games, we will rightly be where we deserve to be and I am hoping it is a League One club and I am very confident we will get out of this."

This game represents Wanderers' first since their last-gasp loss against Shrewsbury on March 16 and Ainsworth admitted that training has been spot on in the two weeks since that match.

He added: "It has been very tough and the boys has Saturday and Sunday off and that's been it.

"They have been in the rest of the time and they have been working hard. It gives us a good week or so to prepare for Oxford.

"We are pleased with where we are and the spirit is great and the boys are all up for this and ready to go."

Oxford have only conceded two goals in their past six games and are second in the League One form table and Ainsworth is under no illusion as to how difficult the game will be.

He said: "They have some very good players and it will be a tough test.

"However, we embrace tough tests. You only have to look at those games against the likes of Sunderland and Portsmouth.

"We embrace these tough tests and I will be making sure I tell the boys how tough this is going to be.

"I am sure they all know but there is no harm in reminding them that they have to be at their absolute best to get anything out of this game."