Currie has missed the last three games due to an injury to his ankle and experienced another knock in training on Friday.

U’s boss Bloomfield shed light on the situation after his side’s 2-0 victory over Watford which the left back watched from the stands.

“Jack needs to have an operation at the end of the season; I don’t think I’m breaking any medical secrets by telling you that,” Bloomfield revealed.

“He’s got a slight issue with his ankle. Nothing serious, but he needs to have that tidied up. He had a little bit of a knock again in training yesterday.

Jack Currie carries the ball (Image: Mike Allen)

“The decision at the moment is a big threat for Watford was coming down their right-hand side and Brodie is an incredible one versus one defender, pace, power. He scored last week, is really good at defending down his side, was a better option than Jack at 70, 80 per cent for instance. But Jack doesn’t want to have his operation yet.

“He’s going to have it at the end of the season. So he’s available for us when we need him. We will need him at some point, I’m sure.

Despite being available for the Yellows in theory, Currie remained missing from the match day squad against Hornets, along with Aidomo Emakhu and Nik Prelec.

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(Image: Oxford United)

“The reason for not having him on the bench is because Hidde can play both sides,” the 42-year-old head coach explained.

“Plus, any player can come on the pitch and get injured and come off again. But because we feel like there’s an extra risk for Jack with his ankle, if we put him on, are we going to need to take him off?

“That may happen at some point. But, yeah, the explanation for today was…in fact, the player that we were defending, Irankunda, went over the other side because Brodie defended him so well in the first half. So that was the reason for that selection.

Nik Prelec on the ball against Bristol City (Image: Mike Allen)

Slovenian striker Prelec missed out on the squad unexpectedly, leaving U’s fans questioning his absence, with Bloomfield also disclosed.

“Nik rolled his ankle in training on Thursday. Trained yesterday but didn’t feel confident in his ankle. So I don’t think it’s serious.

“We hope to have him back available as soon as possible. But yeah, that was the reason why he came out of the squad for today.”

Myles Peart-Harris scored in the first half to put the Yellows ahead before a late strike from Mark Harris secured the three points.

Elsewhere, Portsmouth beat Middlesbrough and Leicester City lost to Swansea City, seeing Oxford rise to 22nd, still one point from safety.

For the first time in four games, Oxford got through the first ten minutes without conceding a goal as they fended off some early speculative crosses and a shot over from Imran Louza.

Jamie Cumming in between the sticks for Oxford United (Image: Oxford United)

A decent early move also saw Jamie Donley spoon a shot over.

Jeremy Petris looked like the Hornets’ biggest threat getting high up on the right but the U’s were looking promising on the break, winning a free kick on their right flank.

Cameron Brannagan’s ball in was not dealt with and fell to the feet of Peart-Harris who tapped home from close range for his second goal in yellow and blue.

The Hornets tried to hit back immediately, forcing a save from Cumming and seeing shots come in from Luca Kjerrumgaard and Nampalys Mendy.

Oxford United’s Ciaron Brown wrestles Watford’s Luca Kjerrumgaard for the ball (Image: Oxford United)

There looked a great chance for Donley soon after as Stan Mills found him on the break, the Northern Ireland international opting to shift onto his left instead of hit it first time, losing out to his marker.

Half time approached with Ed Still’s side looking unimaginative in attack, the U’s relatively comfortable, Michal Helik seeing the ball go wide from a free kick which the goalkeeper palmed against him.

An early second-half save saw Jamie Cumming tip Nestory Irankunda’s shot from range over the crossbar, before pressure from Oxford saw Brannagan have a shot blocked in the box.

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Further pressure saw Mills and Will Lankshear both head at goal, the former nodding over and the second at the keeper.

A few penalty appeals went unrewarded as Mills and Lankshear went over in the box as attempts followed from Donley and Mills from range.

Hornets substitute Mamadou Doumbia nodded wide before Yunus Konak swerved a shot at goal which was saved at the other end.

The Watford striker hit another shot over, Ciaron Brown then thwarting Irankunda in the box with a good tackle shortly after.

Nerves began to kick in as the game entered stoppage time, but they were quickly banished when substitute Harris latched onto the ball and drove into space before firing past Egil Selvik from angle to secure a massive three points.

Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Spencer, Konak (Vaulks 90+3), Brannagan, Mills, Donley (Harris 87), Peart-Harris (ter Avest 78), Lankshear (Romeny 90+3)

Watford: Selvik, Petris (Keben 61), Pollock, Goglichidze (Ince 89), Abankwah, Mendy (Baah 60), Louza, Irankunda, Kayembe, Chakvetadze (Maamma 68), Kjerrumgaard (Doumbia 61)

Bookings: Peart-Harris; Irankunda, Louza