EFL make official decision ahead of Leeds United vs Oxford United at Elland Road

The EFL have confirmed that James Bell will referee Leeds United vs Oxford United this weekend. Ian Cooper and Hristo Karaivanov will be the assistant referees at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, Scott Oldham will be the fourth official. The Whites head into the game on the back of their 1-1 away draw against Preston North End at Deepdale last time out.

Leeds needed a late own goal by Jack Whatmough to salvage a point against the Lilywhites. Daniel Farke’s side are currently sat in second place in the Championship table behind Sheffield United as they eye promotion to the Premier League. The Whites have 42 points on the board from their first 21 outings and have lost only three times so far this season. They are three points behind the Blades and one above Burnley in 3rd.

Speaking ahead of their clash against Oxford, Farke has said: “The festive period has many games, eight overall in 29 days which are crucial. You can't pick up each and every point but we want to pick up as many points as possible. Our next and last home game of the calendar year, we have been pretty good in the last home games. We want to finish the year in style, and to win valuable points.”

Regarding the U’s, he said: “You try to prepare, but as it stands the caretaker will be in charge. We are not sure what is going to happen over the next 48 hours, you have to prepare for a potentially new manager who comes in and takes over. For that, of course it makes it more complicated to prepare the lads. You try to base it on what they have delivered in the last weeks, because I don’t think a change in manager will change everything totally.”

Oxford are in the hunt for a new boss after their decision to sack Des Buckingham. They were promoted from League One in the last campaign along with Portsmouth and Derby County and are positioned in 20th place, one point above the drop zone. Their skipper Elliott Moore has said ahead of their Leeds trip: "The players are the ones that go out on the pitch and the coach pays the price. Ultimately it comes down to us to put in a performance and from inside the camp we know that our levels as a team and individuals have dropped off in the last month. We started the season well and it might have heightened expectation from us as well as the outside. It's up to us now to just get our heads down and work, we need to start picking up some points."

Buckingham said in a statement: “‍Managing my boyhood club was always a dream of mine and as such I want to thank the Board for giving me an opportunity that was so close to my heart. Last season’s promotion created memories that myself, my family and no doubt the fans will never forget. I was brought into the club to try to get it to the Championship and hopefully I’ve left it in a better place than when I arrived. I would have loved the opportunity to achieve this season’s objective of staying up but I respect the club’s decision to part ways and go in a different direction.