Oxford United v Leeds United Match Thread
Friday 18th April@20:00 | Kassam Stadium
Leeds begin their Easter weekend with a Good Friday trip to Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium. The U's find themselves in a precarious position, hovering just six points above the relegation zone. Despite their struggles, Gary Rowett's Oxford side has shown glimpses of potential with recent home wins against Watford and Sheffield United, though a heavy defeat to QPR earlier this month highlights their inconsistency.
Leeds, on the other hand, appear to have recovered from their wobble. Buoyed by victories over Preston and Middlesbrough, they sit atop the Championship table with 88 points, level with Burnley but ahead on goal difference, and a comfortable five points clear of Sheffield United in third. The Whites will be eager to maintain their momentum as they push for automatic promotion.
The last encounter between these two teams resulted in a dominant 4-0 victory for Leeds at Elland Road in December. James, Bogle, Solomon, and Aaronson all found the net in a commanding performance.
However, Leeds will face some challenges as they head into the Easter weekend. During Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, manager Daniel Farke confirmed that midfielder Joe Rothwell would miss both Easter fixtures. Furthermore, Dan James is a doubt for the Oxford game. Pascal Struijk is also ruled out for the remainder of the season with a broken foot, meaning Ampadu will likely continue in defense.
Oxford United also have their own injury concerns. Last week’s goalscorer, Long, has called on his teammates to step up following the news that centre-back Ciaron Brown is sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury. To compound matters, Elliott Moore (hamstring) and Max Woltman (leg) are also currently unavailable due to injury.