Leeds United play their final home game of 2024 against Oxford United at Elland Road and Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has given his score prediction.
Leeds are the best home team in the Championship so far this season and will be facing an Oxford side whose away record is the joint worst alongside Plymouth Argyle.
Oxford confirmed the appointment of Gary Rowett on Friday afternoon but he will not be in the dugout at Elland Road, but instead in the stands.
This is the first league meeting between the two teams in West Yorkshire for over 35 years and Leeds know three points would guarantee them a place in the top two heading into Christmas.
Pascal Struijk and Max Wober are Leeds’ only fresh injury doubts from last weekend, and so it will be interesting to see whether Daniel Farke looks to manage them ahead of a busy festive period.
Prutton predicts Leeds vs Oxford score
EFL expert Sam Parkin has predicted a comfortable Leeds win this afternoon and the form book is certainly pointing towards that.
However, Oxford will be keen to impress the new manager watching on and so it may be a case of Leeds needing to be patient.
Leeds have dealt with almost every team who have come and sat back at Elland Road this season and it is difficult to see Oxford doing anything other than that again.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Essential EFL Podcast, Sky Sports host Prutton shared how he actually bumped into Leeds boss Farke this week while delivering his prediction.
Prutton cannot see anything other than a comfortable Leeds win, though, which would make it nine home league victories in a row.
He said: “It’s a huge task for Oxford. I can reassure Leeds fans Daniel Farke will be heavily hydrated having bumped into him in the local Sainsburys with a trolley full of fizzy water and actimel, ,more actimel than you think is possible to ingest over the next four weeks but his family are coming over. Leeds 2-0 Oxford.”
Predicted Leeds XI to face Oxford
Leeds should have enough to get past Oxford even without Struijk or Wober being unavailable and so they shouldn’t be risked.
That could open the door for Ethan Ampadu to win his first start since September, all be it at centre-back, rather than in midfield.
Leeds’ other changes should come in attack, with Manor Solomon’s cameo at Preston North End enough to earn him a place in the side over Wilfried Gnonto.
Largie Ramazani and Mateo Joseph also deserve starts over Brenden Aaronson and Joel Piroe, but it is unlikely the former will happen.
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