November 14, 2009 was not a good day to be an Oxford United fan. With more than 2,000 travelling supporters shrugging off torrential rain and howling winds to descend upon Kidderminster, the Yellows suffered only their second league defeat of the season as they lost out 3-1. To make matters worse, pacy attacker Matt Green suffered damage to his medial knee ligaments; an injury that would rule him out for the next four weeks.

Having recently returned to the squad, making several substitute appearances in the process, it seems that the on-loan striker is very much knocking on the door once again.

"I've recovered really quickly so that's been a positive, and now it's just a case of getting the fitness and the sharpness back for the next few weeks. You tend to lose that when you've been out for a little while and you've had to spend so much time on rehab rather than being out on the pitch, but I'm working really hard and everyone has been doing extra work with me to help me get back up to speed. I'm not far off full fitness now, so it's just a case of working hard in training and hopefully getting some minutes under my belt to help everything get back to normal."

Does he still find himself worrying slightly after recovering so quickly from a difficult injury?

"Everything feels fine really. At the start I was a little bit wary of doing simple things like jumping and kicking, but now I'm fine with it all. It feels just like it did before the injury and I think that everybody is pleased with how it's gone. Fingers crossed there won't be any problems and I can get back on track and try to score some more goals."

Both the coaching and medical staff have been particularly impressed with the dedication and hard work that Matt has shown to get himself fit ahead of schedule. Is that an area of his game that he feels has improved over the last twelve months?

"I suppose so, but then I think that I've always been pretty dedicated to whatever it is that I'm doing, whether it's recovering from an injury or competing in games. I've always given everything 100% with things like this because if you mess around and don't take it seriously it's not going to help anybody, not least yourself. For any footballer not being able to play is horrible, so it was a case of making sure that I did everything right."

With Franny Green and Onome Sodje both arriving on loan during his absence, it's safe to say that such newfound depth in attack eliminated any pressure on the Torquay man to return until he was absolutely ready. Now that he's ready and raring to go, do the new faces create a different type of pressure?

"I think that type of competition is nothing but a good thing. Obviously it means more competition for me as an individual but I don't see anything negative in that at all. I believe in my own ability and I know that the gaffer does as well, and that's the main thing for me really. If new faces come in then it just means that I have to make myself a better player in order to ensure that I keep myself in the team."

January is a month that will see no less than seven games come United's way, including six in the league. With both Sodje and Rangers defender Ross Perry returning to their parent clubs in a few days time, it's a month that is certain to see every member of the squad playing their part.

"We can rely on everyone in the squad and I really don't think there are any weak links at all, and with so many games coming up over the next month or so I think that everyone will get a chance. We're a team and there are no outsiders. We do everything together so there's no reason why everyone can't play a part or should feel as though they're far off."

Is the competition something that has had a big impact on United's league position thus far?

"I think the competition has played a really big part, and when you sit down and look at what we've done on paper it's definitely a fantastic effort. Everyone has worked really hard so far but we're definitely not going to start resting on it. It's great to be where we are, but at the same time if you were to ask me how many points we've got I actually wouldn't be able to tell you. I try my best not to look at the table and never look past the next game, and I think that's the same for all of us."

Away from the football field, there's a question that almost every fan will be itching to see answered: just what is it like spending Christmas sharing a house with James Constable?

"(Laughs) It's brilliant! Beano and I get on really well. We've known each other for years so I'm sure that we'll have a good bit of banter together over the rest of the Christmas period. He's got his massive Christmas tree up and I'm sure he'll be watching Home Alone every day for the next week, so he's definitely a traditionalist of sorts! It's definitely a very festive house at the moment."

With only a few short days left of 2009, are there any particular wishes that the forward has for 2010?

"Definitely to finish the season as well as we've started it so far, but also to be a big part of that by scoring a few more goals. If I get that on a personal level then I know that it'll help the team, and fingers crossed that we'll all have a brilliant summer as a result."

Interview by Ryan Bird.