Leeds United: Daniel Farke faces tough Willy Gnonto decision after Oxford United thrashing | OneFootball

Daniel Farke's options out wide may give him a headache at Leeds United following the thrashing of Oxford United.

Manor Solomon starred with a goal and two assists as Leeds United cruised to a ninth consecutive home victory over the weekend, with Daniel Farke again rotating out wide as Willy Gnonto dropped to the bench.

Dan James opened the scoring for Leeds with a close-range finish after Solomon weaved past three defenders to set him up. Jayden Bogle made it 2-0 after the break, linking up with Brenden Aaronson and James, and slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

But Solomon and James were the stars of the show, with the former taking advantage of sloppy midfield play to assist Aaronson for Leeds' third. Solomon then capped his standout performance by netting from a tight angle after a well-worked move with Joel Piroe.

Leeds dominated the first half, enjoying nearly 70% possession and firing 12 shots on goal. Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming could do little to prevent the opener and was kept busy throughout, making fine saves from James and Piroe.

Once Bogle added Leeds' second, Oxford's hopes of a comeback faded, and further goals from Aaronson and Solomon sealed a comfortable 4-0 win, with Leeds' wide men a constant thorn in the side of the U's, vindicating Farke's decision to rotate yet again.

Daniel Farke has outstanding winger depth at Leeds United

Farke has a wealth of options out wide for Leeds, and he's shown no hesitation in rotating his wingers to suit different match scenarios. With four key wide players — James, Solomon, Largie Ramazani, and Gnonto — Farke can adapt his approach depending on the opposition and game state.

James offers an electric pace and relentless pressing, making him ideal for matches that require speed and high-intensity transitions. Solomon, on the other hand, brings finesse and creativity, excelling at combination play but with superior dribbling and playmaking skills.

Ramazani adds an exciting mix of agility and directness, making him dangerous in one-on-one situations, while Gnonto provides a powerful blend of physicality and technical quality, capable of drifting inside or hugging the touchline. Having such a variety of profiles is undoubtedly a great asset for Farke.

He can tailor his approach to opponents that sit deep, with Solomon or Gnonto perhaps best for probing for openings, or to teams more open to transitions, where James and Ramazani can thrive when catching the opponent out on the counter or with a clever straight-line run in behind.

This rotation also helps keep the players fresh across a long, demanding season, maintaining sharpness and avoiding burnout. Farke’s ability to mix and match his wingers ensures that Leeds remain unpredictable and adaptable, making it a good problem to have for the manager.

While Farke’s rotation policy often prioritises freshness and tactical flexibility over form, the performances of James and Solomon in Leeds' recent win against Oxford make them difficult to drop. Both players were arguably the two best on the pitch.

James with his opener and relentless work rate and intensity caused Oxford plenty of problems in both halves, and Solomon with his first assist had a strong first half that was bettered by his scintillating second 45 with another assist and a goal. They have each made a strong case to keep their places in the side, despite the relentless nature of the Christmas schedule.

Farke's Willy Gnonto dilemma ahead of Stoke on Boxing Day

The dynamic post-Oxford leaves Gnonto, in particular, who has been rotated into the team more regularly than Ramazani, in a tricky position. Despite his undeniable talent and versatility, he faces stiff competition from James and Solomon, who have been highly effective during a slight dip in form in recent weeks for the young Italian.

Meanwhile, Ramazani has often found himself starting from the bench, playing more of a substitute role as Farke juggles his wide options and the Belgian gets his fitness back up to speed. Had Solomon and James been less impressive on Saturday, then he may well have started both Gnonto and Ramazani on Boxing Day away to Stoke City, to keep everyone fresh.

The situation highlights one of the challenges of squad depth: form alone isn’t always enough to guarantee starts, but James and Solomon’s recent contributions are making it particularly hard for Farke to justify changes, especially when Leeds are flying high.

Stoke present a different challenge for Leeds compared to some of their recent away opponents, who have opted to sit in deep or compact mid-blocks, limiting space for Leeds' attacking play. The Potters' more open and expansive approach should offer more opportunities for Leeds to exploit transitions and counter-attacks.

That makes speedier wingers like James or Ramazani particularly well-suited for this matchup. Both thrive in games where there is space to run in behind defences, with their pace and directness ideal for breaking quickly. However, selecting either or both would mean leaving out Solomon, which simply cannot happen after a standout performance against Oxford.

That also doesn't include a player who, for many Leeds fans, is their best and most impressive forward ordinarily in Gnonto, either. It leaves Farke with a particularly difficult decision to make. Per FotMob, Solomon's 9.2 performance was the best of any Leeds player and the second-highest of any Championship player over the weekend.

While Solomon isn’t as fast or dynamic on the break as James or Ramazani, he was pivotal for Leeds and appears to be sharp after injury issues over the last few years, including earlier this season as well. Though Solomon isn’t the most optimal choice for a counter-attacking approach, his creativity and technical quality can still unlock defences and he is full of confidence at this moment in time.

It’s a difficult balance for Farke, as form and game plan collide, and dropping Solomon after such a key performance could have a demoralising effect when he will be looking to build on that and put some momentum together during the festive period. However, Gnonto will also have seen James and Solomon's recent exploits and will be itching to prove his worth to the manager as well.