[Source: BBC]

Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship with a win at Oxford United as they matched victories earlier on Friday for both Burnley and Sheffield United.

A first-half goal from Manor Solomon saw them regain first place on goal difference from the Clarets with just three games left to play, and Sheffield United five points behind in third.

The Whites now face Stoke City at Elland Road on Easter Monday knowing success in that match, coupled with the Blades failing to win at Burnley later that day, would be enough to secure Premier League promotion.

However, five points from their remaining three matches would do it regardless of other results.

Oxford slipped a place to 19th, five points clear of the bottom three but still with work to do to secure their spot in the division for next season.

Those earlier successes for Scott Parker’s Clarets at Watford and then Sheffield United beating Cardiff City had put the pressure back on for Leeds before kick-off.

Successive wins over Middlesbrough and Preston North End had steadied the nerves after a jittery run of one win in six games had brought up memories of their collapse at this same stage 12 months ago, which culminated in play-off heartache at Wembley.

In a first league visit to Oxford since March 1990 – a season which finished with Leeds winning promotion to the top flight under Howard Wilkinson – Daniel Farke’s men encountered an organised and committed home side and Cameron Brannagan tested Karl Darlow early on with a 20-yard effort.

But the Yorkshire side took control as Jamie Cumming made a fine save after USA midfielder Brenden Aaronson had burst through, while Ben Nelson’s brilliant clearance prevented a certain tap-in for Willy Gnonto.

But Leeds’ 33rd-minute winner was an example of the incisive football they have displayed all season as Joe Rodon’s excellent pass set Jayden Bogle free and the right-back picked out Solomon arriving at the back post to steer it home.

It was a ninth goal for the Israel winger during his season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, and a 12th Championship goal involvement in 2025 (six goals, six assists), showing how he has stepped up during the run-in.

It all makes him a fine piece of business after Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville were sold to Premier League clubs last summer.

Bogle shot wide with a good chance to make the game safe early in the second half and Japan international Ao Tanaka was unlucky not to finish it late on when he struck the inside of the post with a fine strike from distance.

Without that cushion, Leeds were forced to deal with a number of long throws into their box as the Us sought an equaliser.

That did not come with Rodon in particular outstanding at the back, and Gary Rowett’s side have a tricky trip to second-bottom Cardiff on Monday.

The win takes Leeds’ points tally under Farke to an impressive 181 from 89 league games, with their current total of 91 now better than last season’s 90, with three games to spare.

Their 83 goals this campaign is 20 more than any other Championship side, while this was a 23rd clean sheet, underlining what a well-balanced team Farke has put together.

Now all that remains is for them to hold their nerve and get over the line to become a Premier League club again after a two-year exile.

Leeds showed ‘steel and resilience’ – post-match reaction
Oxford United manager Gary Rowett told BBC Radio Oxford:

“They’re excellent in the final third and if you switch off for a second, they seem to react a tiny bit quicker with that little bit more speed.

“We huffed and puffed a little bit first-half but we hung in there. We knew this wasn’t the type of game we could chase too early.

“Second-half, we were a lot more aggressive, we showed a lot more energy and against the best side in the league, we made them very uncomfortable for the last 20 minutes.

“We can’t let the disappointment linger. We’re proud of the performance, disappointed with the result, but now we have to make sure we recover.

“If we go again with half that performance on Monday, we give ourselves a very good chance of getting the result we want.”

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds:

“This game was so, so difficult so I’m really happy as we played against a really good Oxford side.

“We had lots of control but Gary’s sides are always well structured and competitive.

“When you don’t score that second goal, you have to show steel and resilience and good defensive behaviour and this is what we’ve done today in a top class way.

“These type of wins with a clean sheet are the best type of wins, especially at this stage of the season.”

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.