Daniel Farke raised eyebrows amongst a sceptical Leeds United fanbase a few months back when he suggested that Patrick Bamford could still have an integral role in the Championship run-in.
Farke believes that, if their long-serving number nine had not been ruled out for the play-offs nearly 12 months ago, Leeds would have secured Premier League football in 2024.
One year on, as the table-toppers took another massive stride towards a belated promotion at the Kassam Stadium – Manor Solomon scored the winner at Oxford to ensure Leeds can be promoted on Monday against Stoke City – Patrick Bamford again stepped off the bench to prove that rumours of his demise have been somewhat exaggerrated.
Yes, Bamford has not started a single Championship match in 2024/25. All fourteen of his appearances coming as a substitute.
But on occasions such as this, Leeds United holding onto a one-goal advantage and crying out for a physical, broad-shouldered outlet at the other end of the pitch, this is where Bamford’s experience and strength works wonders.
Patrick Bamford helps Leeds United across the line at Oxford
Bamford was wrongly denied a goal at Middlesbrough. What would have been his first of the season – against his former club no less – chalked off for an incorrect offside. The wait goes on.
But, while it won’t be reflected in the stats, you won’t find Farke downplaying Patrick Bamford’s importance.
The Leeds boss relished Bamford’s industrious cameo at the Riverside. Bamford proved similarly effective late on in last week’s 2-1 victory over Preston North End, too. And, as Leeds soaked up Oxford’s late pressure on Friday night, the 2020 Championship champion was once again a diligent first line of defence.
“I thought the substitutions came at a really good time,” says Jermaine Beckford, the former fan favourite centre-forward. “Oxford were starting to put a little bit more pressure on us but the substitutions broke it up a little bit.
“Patrick did really well again. I think it was, what, his third game off the bench in a row? You can see the confidence in him. He’s building his confidence back up again. His body is looking good, his ankles are looking strong, he’s causing defenders problems.
“He’s awkward, he’s got a little more physicality about him now than he did the first time around.”
“[The substitutions] did their job perfectly,” agrees ex-Leeds skipper Dominic Matteo. “Pat held it up, he was a nuisance, and obviously [Isaac] Schmidt making some good decisions.
“They are little things, maybe as a football fan, you don’t notice. But as a player, you see it because you need certain players who can do certain things. We are all different on a football pitch
“We’ve seen tonight, just a really good performance.”
Isaac Schmidt and Joshua Guilavogui also impress at the Kassam
While Joshua Guilavogui made his customary blink-and-you’ll-miss it appearance late on, Isaac Schmidt did himself proud with an excellent back-post intervention to deny Oxford what might have been a crushing stoppage time equaliser.
“When the players come up, they have to be ready,” smiles Tony Dorigo, a First Division champion with Leeds in 1992. “They have to go out there and do a job.
“We needed Bamford up there just to be awkward, to run those channels, to win those free-kicks. Guilavogui as well, to stand strong and get hold of that ball. He did that a few times.
“And Schmidt, right at the end…”
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
