OXFORD United have all the tools to succeed as they enter a crucial run of fixtures, believes Sam Winnall.

The U’s face six of their Sky Bet League One promotion rivals and visit arch-rivals Swindon Town in their next eight matches.

United were seventh in the table before last night’s fixtures, after winning nine of their last ten games in the third tier.

They performed poorly in Tuesday’s 2-0 Papa John’s Trophy semi-final defeat to Tranmere Rovers, but Winnall feels the U’s can bounce back.

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The striker said: “We can’t pretend that we’re going to win every game until the end of the season.

“That’s not realistic, but the form that we’ve had has been phenomenal.

“We want to keep riding this wave.

“Everyone’s in form, everyone’s really high on confidence and everyone’s feeling fit and strong.

“We’re ready for the crunch time of the season.”

United sat a point and a place outside the play-offs before last night, with Saturday’s visit to 11th-placed Ipswich Town one of many games against the teams around them in the coming weeks.

Over the next month, Karl Robinson’s side host Portsmouth, Peterborough United, Charlton Athletic and Doncaster Rovers, while a visit to Hull City is scheduled for March 13 – four days after the derby against struggling Swindon.

Winnall marked his first league start for United with a goal in the 2-1 comeback triumph over Wigan Athletic last weekend.

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The 30-year-old headed home Brandon Barker’s delicious cross and admitted he has been impressed with the quality of delivery supplied from United’s flanks.

If the same standard of service continues, Winnall is confident he can add to his tally of three U’s goals.

He said: “It’s a good time to be a striker for Oxford, because we’ve got so much quality out wide.

“It’s taken the lads a bit of a while to understand the way I play.

“Once the ball’s in the box I’m the favourite to win it and give myself chances to put the ball in the net.

“I keep speaking to the full-backs and the wingers.

“If people put in the quality then I have to do my job and put the ball in the back of the net.

“I’ll always believe in myself and I hope I can keep doing it for the rest of the season.”