The U’s were swatted aside by a dominant Whites side, who won 4-0 at Elland Road.

The result condemned United to a place in the bottom three for the first time this season, with wins for Hull City and Portsmouth earlier in the day sending the U’s into the danger zone.

Dan James gave Leeds an early lead at Elland Road, before three goals in a 16-minute spell from Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson and Manor Solomon saw the Whites out of sight.

It was United’s first game after the sacking of Des Buckingham, with new head coach Gary Rowett watching from the stands, and he will almost certainly have left Elland Road with a better impression of the job he has on his hands in trying to restore belief in a team so clearly struggling.

Craig Short, in interim charge of the side for the afternoon following Buckingham’s dismissal, made three changes to the side which lost 3-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Will Vaulks, Przemyslaw Placheta and Mark Harris were restored to the starting line-up, as Idris El Mizouni, Ruben Rodrigues and Dane Scarlett dropped to the bench.

The home side dominated the opening 45 minutes, although the U’s did have a couple of promising moments, particularly early on.

It was the Whites who had the first sight of goal though, as an Ao Tanaka strike from the edge of the penalty box skimmed the sidenetting on its way wide with a minute on the clock.

Placheta found himself in a good area at the other end, but he took too long to make a decision on the ball, and his indecisiveness saw him crowded out.

The Whites then ruthlessly went up the other end and opened the scoring.

A rapid counter-attack saw Manor Solomon burst into the left channel of the box and cross for opposite winger James, who had the simple task of tapping in unmarked from close range at the far post.

But just three minutes later, United were presented with a glorious chance. Owen Dale slid the ball through for Placheta, with the winger beating the offside trap, but then blazing horribly off target when in on goal against Illan Meslier.

It was a huge miss, and from that point on in the first half, the Whites were firmly in control.

Former U’s midfielder Joe Rothwell directed a right-footed volley wide from 20 yards, while Aaronson lined up a 25-yard shot which sailed over the crossbar.

The wild and windy conditions at Elland Road had caused mischief from set pieces, with the ball refusing to stay still from corners, free kicks and goal kicks, and on half an hour, the breeze almost deceived Jamie Cumming in the United goal.

James cut in from the right-hand side onto his left foot and his low strike got a little caught in the wind, but Cumming reacted well and made a good low stop.

Joel Piroe was then patient with his back to goal in the box, waiting for the right chance before getting his shot away, and the low effort almost found the bottom corner, only for Cumming to get down and match the low strike.

Tanaka then struck across goal from 20 yards out and almost found the opposite corner with his low right-footed effort.

The last action of the first half actually saw goalmouth action at the other end. Deep into added time, a long throw-in from Vaulks caused a problem in the area and Tyler Goodrham headed narrowly over the bar from a deep position in the box.

At the start of the second period, the U’s had another decent chance to pull themselves level as Goodrham whipped in a free kick and Ciaron Brown crashed a header wide at the near post.

But it was the Whites who doubled their advantage 12 minutes into the second half as a neat passing move ended in Aaronson cutting the ball back for right back Bogle, who finished inside the near post.

Short responded with his first change of the afternoon, as Rodrigues replaced Dale, a switch which saw Goodrham move out to the left, and Rodrigues take up the vacant midfield slot.

Five minutes later though, the home side added their third goal of the match, and it was far too easy for them.

Solomon pounced on a loose ball midway into the United half and had ample space and time to slide in Aaronson on goal, with the USA international finishing past Cumming.

The fourth goal came six minutes later as the impressive Solomon smashed in at the near post from a tight angle.

Leeds were in the mood and a fifth goal was sought when substitute Largie Ramazini drew a save out of Cumming, while James fired across goal but into the midriff of Cumming.

Leeds United (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu, Byram (Schmidt 77); Tanaka, Rothwell (Guilavogui 83); James, Aaronson (Gnonto 74), Solomon (Joseph 74); Piroe (Ramazini 74).

Unused subs: Darlow, Struijk, Bamford, Guilavogui, Chambers.

Booked: None.

Oxford United (4-5-1): Cumming; Kioso (Long 78), Moore, Brown, Leigh; Placheta (Edwards 68), Goodrham, Vaulks (McEachran 78), Brannagan, Dale (Rodrigues 62); Harris (Scarlett 78).

Unused subs: Ingram, ter Avest, El Mizouni, Goodwin.

Booked: Harris.

Referee: James Bell (South Yorkshire)

Attendance: 36,646 (TBC away)