Oxford United manager Liam Manning says players must force their way into his starting eleven after a lacklustre night in the EFL Trophy.
The U's boss pointed towards the competition in the squad following the game in which he made ten changes for the cup match against MK Dons.
The Dons came out slim 1-0 winners after a second half-penalty to make it two-out-of-two win for them in the group.
United won their first group game against Northampton 3-1, which also saw a raft of changes.
Manning said: "When we look at what competition we have now got in the squad, it’s making sure you are doing your utmost to grab that opportunity and fight and force your way into the team.
"With a decent result last weekend and some good performances, you are constantly scrapping and there is an element of pressure to stand up and deliver.
"I want lads to do well and want lads to give me headaches. I would much prefer the feeling after Northampton where it becomes extremely difficult."
United goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, who has been at the club since 2016, also spoke after the game and said he believes it's one of the best squads he has been involved in since joining despite the result on the night.
Eastwood has not featured so far in the league campaign, instead providing backup to 18-year-old James Beadle, who is on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
He said: “The time I have been here over the years I don’t think there have been many better squads as a whole.
“It is good to have competition for places but I think that the first eleven and the second eleven are very competitive.
“It’s a chance for the lads who are not playing to make a statement to him to play.
“Now with five substitutions that can be used, so if you are on the bench you have a really good chance of coming on. If you’re a keeper, obviously not so much, but the outfield lads it’s a real chance.
“Even if they get 20 minutes in a league game they have a chance of starting the next one.
The U’s opponent in the league this weekend, was on the wrong end of a 9-0 thumping as Reading ran riot against Exeter City in their EFL Trophy encounter.
Exeter have won five of their first eight league games and sit second in League One, just one point behind the U’s who have played one game less.
Speaking about the result, Manning said: “They are hard games to make assessments on and read things off of.
“We changed ten of our starting lineup so it is difficult to read into them too much. For me, we will be concentrating our energy on us and what we need to do.”