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5 mins: Leeds are passing the ball around midfield, but Tanaka is robbed by Goodrham on Oxford’s left …
3 mins: Now Leeds win a corner, which Oxford clear away as far as the halfway line. I’m not sure navy is the right word for this Leeds away kit. Cobalt maybe? Indigo?
1 min: Oxford win a corner almost immediately, and it’s flicked on by Long at the near post. Harris nearly connects in the middle, but is flagged offside. Still, an early sign of what the hosts can do at set-pieces.
Peep! Here we go, then. Leeds, making their first-ever visit to the Kassam Stadium, are in their navy third kit.
Gary Rowett: “Having won against Sheffield United, another top, top team, it gives us confidence, but this is a very different test. It’s a question of ‘how do you stop them?’” On survival: “We’ll keep going until it’s done. We’ve come too far to let it slip now.”
Daniel Farke: “Gary’s sides are very well-structured, very pragmatic – it’s always pretty complicated against his teams. We are aware it’ll be a difficult challenge. We’ll focus on what we can influence, our own performance. We are focused, not nervous.”
Relegation battle: here are the bottom five’s remaining fixtures.
Hull (45pts) Preston (H), Derby (H), Portsmouth (A)
Derby (43) West Brom (H), Hull (A), Stoke (H)
Luton (43) Bristol City (H), Coventry (H), West Brom (A)
Cardiff (42) Oxford (H), West Brom (H), Norwich (A)
Plymouth (40) Coventry (H), Preston (A), Leeds (H)
The playoff race: Sunderland (76pts) are guaranteed a playoff place, while Bristol City and Coventry have the edge in the race with Middlesbrough for the final two top-six spots. West Brom and Millwall are in with an outside chance of making it in, and the Baggies could play a big part in deciding who goes down to League One.
Bristol City (67pts) Luton (A), Leeds (A), Preston (H)
Coventry (66) Plymouth (A), Luton (A), Boro (H)
Middlesbrough (63) Sheff Wed (A), Norwich (H), Coventry (A)
West Brom (60) Derby (H), Cardiff (A), Luton (H)
Millwall (60) Norwich (H), Swansea (H), Burnley (A)
Title race run-in: Let’s have a look at the remaining games for the top three. If Burnley beat Sheffield United at home on Monday, they’ll be promoted; any other result and things could get complicated.
Burnley (91pts): Sheffield United (H), QPR (A), Millwall (H)
Leeds (88): Oxford (A), Stoke (H), Bristol City (H), Plymouth (A)
Sheffield Utd (86): Burnley (A), Stoke (A), Blackburn (H)
Goals in each half from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Díaz get the Blades back to winning ways, and two points behind Leeds in second place. As for Cardiff, they’re second-bottom on 42 points and are running out of games to get out of trouble.
Ben Brereton Díaz scores Sheffield United’s second goal against Cardiff. Photograph: Ian Hodgson/PA
No changes from Daniel Farke from the side that saw off Preston at home last Saturday, while Oxford make two changes from the team that won at Sheffield Wednesday. Poland international Przemyslaw Placheta replaces Stanley Mills on the right, with Mark Harris starting up front in place of Tom Bradshaw.
At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United have just gone 2-0 up at home to Cardiff, Ben Brereton Díaz the man on target. Chris Wilder’s side will move two points behind Leeds, and just turn up the pressure a notch before kick-off at the Kassam.
Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Cumming; Long, Helik, Nelson, Bennett; Brannagan, Vaulks; Placheta, Matos, Goodrham; Harris.
Subs: Ingram, Phillips, Romeny, El Mizouni, Rodrigues, Leigh, Kioso, Bradshaw, Mills.
Leeds United (4-2-3-1): Darlow; Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Tanaka, Gruev; Gnonto, Aaronson, Solomon; Piroe.
Subs: Meslier, Byram, Schmidt, Wober, Guilavogui, James, Ramazani, Joseph, Bamford.
Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire)
It’s a marathon, not a sprint – but this season’s Championship promotion race has felt more like an Ironman endurance battle, an initial pack of four teams eventually shedding Sunderland, with Leeds wobbling dramatically before Sheffield United took an unexpected spill. The Blades are in action at home to Cardiff right now, and still have to visit leaders Burnley on Easter Monday.
For Leeds, the equation is simple enough. Despite a run of one victory in six after winning at Bramall Lane in February, wins over Middlesbrough and Preston have given Daniel Farke’s side a priceless advantage in the top-two race; with four games to go, they just need to keep winning and put the permutations aside.
Tonight’s opponents, Oxford United, are on the fringes of the relegation battle, kicking off here five points clear of danger. Gary Rowett’s side are a tough proposition at home, where they have earned 10 of their 12 league wins this season. It was their 1-0 win over Sheffield United that kickstarted the Blades’ slide; can they put another spanner in the works here tonight? Kick-off is at 8pm, BST.
