Whites boss Daniel Farke made two changes to his side for Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Preston North End in which Jayden Bogle returned from injury to start at right back and Joel Piroe came in for Mateo Joseph upfront. Oxford boss Des Buckingham, meanwhile, ultimately took charge of his side for the last time in Saturday’s hosting of Sheffield Wednesday. The newly-promoted Us fell to a 3-1 defeat which left the team 20th in the table and just one point clear of the dropzone. Oxford then made the huge change of deciding to sack Buckingham in the aftermath of defeat and a trip to Leeds is next in Saturday afternoon’s 3pm kick-off at Elland Road in which second plays fifth bottom. Both teams will have a full week to prepare for the fixture but several players are already out or doubtful although four more are ‘back’. Here, we run through the team news from both sides.
1. Junior Firpo (out)
Whites left back Firpo suffered a serious hamstring injury in the 2-0 win at home to Derby County on December 7, The defender is thought to be looking at four to six weeks out. Photo: George Wood
2. Ilia Gruev (out)
United's Bulgarian international midfielder Gruev still on the comeback trail from knee surgery. Farke has said it will still be "a while" before Gruev is back in team training. Photo: George Wood
3. Joe Bennett (out)
Experienced left back Bennett is another Oxford player out injured until the new year with an ankle injury suffered in August's 3-1 win at home to Preston. Photo: Robbie Stephenson
4. Max Woltman (out)
Oxford's young ex-Liverpool attacker Woltman is out injured and not expected back until next year. Photo: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC
5. Sam Long (back)
Oxford defender Long took a whack to the head in the 1-1 draw at home to Millwall at the end of last month but the 29-year-old returned to the bench as an unused substitute for the weekend's defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Photo: Adam Davy
6. Max Wober (back)
United's Austrian international defender Wober was a doubt for the weekend's clash at Preston due to a swollen knee but returned to the bench and was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw. Photo: George Wood