Nigel Clough reveals which Mansfield Town player he thinks is their 'biggest threat' in attack this season

Strengthening in attack was the main focus for Stags, who are looking to build on last season’s tenth-place finish.

Following the arrivals of David McGoldrick and Michael Smith, Nigel Clough is pleased with the options he has available up front, even if two are currently out injured.

Both McGoldrick and Tyler Roberts are yet to feature in League One this season as they both work towards their return to fitness. Fortunately, Smith and Rhys Oates have been on hand to lead the attack and they’ve both opened their goal-scoring accounts for the season already.

Oates marked both his and Stags’ first league goal of the season with his opener against Doncaster Rovers. He then turned provider for Smith to slot home his first in amber and blue against Peterborough United.

“Rhys Oates got off the mark against Doncaster, now Michael has scored. We’re obviously waiting to get David and Tyler on the pitch as well but we’ve got four very good strikers,” Clough said in his midweek press conference ahead of Luton Town.

“They’ve all got to chip in with goals and the two who are starting at the moment have already got one each. It’s a good sign, I think there’s a lot more to come from Michael Smith and from them all really.”

Clough went on to praise Oates, who has grabbed the opportunity to start for Stags with both hands in the absence of McGoldrick and Roberts. The 31-year-old made 23 League One starts last season and is now up against tough competition following Mansfield’s summer business.

“Rhys was unlucky with a left-footed shot on Saturday but when he goes clear, I thought he showed a degree of maturity – which he hasn’t always shown – when he squares it to Michael for a tap-in. Very, very good play. You don’t always see that even at the top level,” Clough reflected on the Peterborough game.

“Already, he’s scored in the first game and assisted in the second. He’s our biggest threat, certainly in terms of his unpredictability.

“I would say out of the four strikers we’ve got, if you were to say ‘who don’t you want to play against because of that unpredictability’, it’s probably Rhys.

“He’s such a good team player for us as well. I think over the last four or five years he’s been with us, he’s been a brilliant signing for the club.”

Oates is eager to keep pushing on from where he left off last season. The striker finished as the Stags’ top goal-scorer and even with the competition now higher for a regular starting role, he is determined to keep showing up and scoring goals when it’s required of him.