Leeds United 4 Oxford United 0: Ninth straight home win takes its time but Whites go down a storm in the end — Yorkshire Post 21/12/24

By Stuart Rayner

When Dan James found the net inside nine minutes we looked all set for the procession the form guide suggested but it had to wait until the final half-hour at a wet and very windy Elland Road.

It was worth the wait.

Daniel Farke's football can test the patience of Leeds United fans and the quality, if certainly not quantity, of Oxford United's chances made for some uncomfortable moments for those making their last trip to the ground in 2024, but quality goals from Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson and Manor Solomon meant the scoreline was more like the one everyone had been expecting.

Nobody could pretend that 4-0 was an unfair scoreline as Leeds kept up the pressure on Sheffield United by matching their record of winning nine home games in a row.

Oxford's first mistake had been to dare to try their first attack, Tyler Goodrham releasing Przemyslaw Placheta for a shot that was blocked. Leeds went down the other end and Solomon played a low ball for James to slide onto.

With a fierce wind at their backs, everything was set for Leeds to dominate.

When it came to the flow of the first half, they did. Just not the score.

Joe Rothwell juggled a ball before placing a volley wide, James followed up some excellent trackijng back by sending over a cross which went to the far post, unlike any of his team-mates.

A nice move spread the play from Joe Rodon out to Sam Byram, whose ball in was put behind. The corner was worked to Aaronson, who missed the target from the edge of the area, as Ao Tanaka would do a couple of times.

Joel Piroe met a Bogle cross with a nothing touch but from the corner Aaronson was able to win, James' curled a save and Tanaka's cushioned volley went wide.

James Cumming, whose struggles kicking into the wind delighted the Norman Hunter Stand, also denied Piroe, who waited to pick his spot on the turn.

But there was enough from Oxford to make you think Leeds needed a second.

Shortly after James' goal, Owen Dale released Placheta in what looked like an offside position, but unlike the linesman's flag, he could not keep his shot down.

And as Leeds' minds perhaps wandered to the interval, Dale forced his way through only for Illam Meslier to sweep up outside his area. When he was off his line in the fourth added minute, Elliott Moore's header cleared the crossbar.

Likewise, Ciaron Brown should have made more of the free-kick Goodrham put over at the start of the second half.

Leeds, though, got a powerful second wind.

Aaronson released the impressive Byram for a cross he put just in front of James, and some excellent defending by Moore stopped an equally good Byram delivery finding Piroe.

Finally, in the 58th-minute, came the dambusting second as short, sharp passes between James, Bogle and Aaronson ended with a smart finish from Bogle.

The third was not far behind, Aaronson bursting through before producing a cool finish.

Solomon's was rather more fiery after Piroe picked him out. Cumming was beaten at his near post but with the ferocity of his shot, he probably just avoided breaking any fingers with the game 74 minutes old and having been put to bed and read a story.

Substitute Largie Ramazani tried his best to join the fun but after volleying wide he had a header saved point-blank by Cumming.

Given the Oxford troubles which led to Gary Rowett being installed as manager the previous day, it would be pushing it to say this was a statement win, but Leeds are certainly not to be messed with on their own patch.

The challenge over Christmas will be to do some serious damage on their travels.