Daniel Farke warns his Leeds United players about ‘top-class’ Oxford United player

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As Leeds United prepare to face Oxford in the first half of the Easter Weekend double-header, Daniel Farke is preparing his Championship table-toppers for a very different type of challenge.

A challenge long-standing automatic promotion rivals Sheffield United failed miserably a week-and-a-half ago.

Plymouth Argyle sent Chris Wilder into meltdown on Saturday but it was Gary Rowett’s Oxford who set the wheels in motion for a stunning collapse in South Yorkshire. The first of three successive league defeats beginning at the Kassam Stadium.

Sheffield United failed to deal with a trademark Will Vaulks long throw – the spirit of Rory Delap is very much alive and well in Oxfordshire – while also struggling to prevent either the first or the second flick-on as Siriki Dembele ghosted in to net the winner.

The message from Farke to his Leeds United defenders, then, could not be clearer.

Fortunately, while Pascal Struijk’s season is over due to a foot fracture, Leeds will still head to the Kassam with the colossal presence of Joe Rodon towering above the rest of his teammates.

Daniel Farke explains Oxford challenge on big night for Leeds United’s Joe Rodon

Rodon averages 4.9 clearances per game in the Championship this season. The second-best, with four, is the now-absent Struijk.

So, as Vaulks reaches for the towel and prepares his piston-like biceps, arguably the 6ft 4ins frame of Rodon has seldom been more important to the Leeds cause.

“It’s definitely one of the key topics against Oxford, especially with Vaulks. He throws the ball longer than many of my players can kick the ball!” Farke quips, speaking during his press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

“Long throw-ins, first of all, you have to defend the wide area because, if there is a quick throw-in, you have to make sure you deal with the situation.

“In the last game, in the first-half [against Preston], there were a few situations where I would prefer to be a bit more switched-on.

“On the other hand, they have the option to create chaos by sending the centre-backs up front. If you have a physical side like Oxford, with a lot of good headers, you cannot avoid the ball coming in.

“It’s not like a cross you can block or you can put the player under pressure. And they can plan. If they have a top-class player who is so good at throw-ins like Vaulks, you can’t influence where he brings the ball.

“[It is about] showing steel, winning the first balls and second balls, to be switched-on for the second phase.

“We expect there will be a few moments where we have to be competitive in the air. This will be a key factor in this game, to control their throw-ins.”

Farke praises Gary Rowett’s influence at Oxford United

Farke’s decision to replace Illan Meslier with Karl Darlow certainly looks likely to pay off away to an Oxford side who have picked up nine points from the last 15 available.

Darlow is far more commanding than Meslier in set-piece situations, as he demonstrated on multiple occasions in that 2-1 victory over Preston North End. Understandably, Farke has been delighted with Darlow’s influence over the last three games.

The Leeds boss suggests that Dan James could return to action as well, although the trip to Oxford will come too soon for Joe Rothwell.

“Impressive, three wins in the last five games,” Farke says of Oxford’s current form. “An impressive win against Watford, also with a clean sheet away, and at Sheffield Wednesday, also with a clean sheet, so it’s not easy to score goals against them.

“Gary Rowett is a very, very experienced manager. He knows this league inside and out. He knows how to make sure that his team is competitive and they’re also well-structured, also against the ball.

“It’s not easy to create chances against them, not even speaking about scoring against them. So three of their last five opponents missed scoring, so it will be difficult.

“A team who is, especially in their home games, always competitive. I’m pretty sure they will play with good confidence and also with a big will to win, perhaps the final one or three points that they perhaps need to stay in this league.”