Colchester United’s in-form attacker, Tarique Fosu, will be shutting out all the potential unrest and anger among home supporters when he tries to help strengthen the U’s play-off bid at Leyton Orient this afternoon.

O’s fans are expected to stage a noisy protest, both before and during the game, with hundreds of whistles to be blown, and banners to be displayed all around the Brisbane Road ground.

The East London faithful have been angered by the downward spiral that the O’s have found themselves in, since Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti bought the club for £4million from Barry Hearn in 2014.

The O’s long-expected relegation out of the Football League has already been confirmed, and it is up to Fosu and his U’s team-mates to ignore all those fan protests and concentrate on securing what would be a first away win since the turn of the year.

“We must not be distracted by what is happening off the pitch, with the Leyton Orient fans,” insisted Fosu.

“We must not even think about it, and we haven’t really thought about it this week. We just have to concern ourselves with what we are doing.

“We are very fortunate at Colchester not to be in the sort of situation that Leyton Orient are now in.

“We have a massive two games left of this season, but first we must concentrate on getting the three points this weekend, rather than look ahead to the final game (at home to Yeovil). “We’ve played well in our last couple of matches, and we’ve got to take that into this match,” added Fosu.

Reading loanee Fosu has produced several man-of-the-match performances, in a more central attacking role, in recent weeks.

“I’m growing into the role and learning all the time,” enthused Fosu. “I see more of the ball in this central role. I am more involved and I feel that I have a bigger part to play.

“I was in the play-offs last year (while on loan at Accrington), so I know what it’s all about.

“It comes down to belief, staying strong even when things are not going right, and staying positive as a team. We have a similar momentum to what we had at Accrington. In fact, I think we have even more of a team spirit here, at Colchester.”