Oxford United: Gary Rowett should not rush decision on 34-year-old - he simply doesn’t need to | OneFootball

In form Greg Leigh means Oxford United can take their time in bringing Joe Bennet back into the squad

Gary Rowett has decided there's no need to rush Oxford United's Joe Bennet back from injury after five months on the sideline.

The former Aston Villa defender has been out since the start of September, when he picked up an injury in Oxford's 3-1 win over Preston North End.

The severity of his injury means there is a natural caution in bringing him back into the squad. And considering he's 34 years old now, another serious injury setback could call time on his career.

Bennet's contract also runs out in the summer, so he will be hoping he can do enough to prove he can still play at a Championship level, in the hope of receiving a new contract at the end of the season.

Greg Leigh in fine form as Bennet's replacement

Since the former Cardiff City defender joined Oxford in November 2023, there has been a battle between him and Greg Leigh for who starts ahead of the other. Bennet originally joined as an emergency signing as a free agent to replace Leigh following injury.

The two have battled it out for the right to start ever since. With their physical and technical profiles being very different to each other, the decision of who starts is often dictated by the opposition.

Having said this, after signing a one-year extension in the summer, Bennet started the first four games of the season. It seemed that Leigh would be a bit-part player this campaign, especially after playing second fiddle to Bennet in both League One play-off semi-final legs and the final in May.

But since Bennet's injury, Leigh has stepped up to the plate. The Jamaican international is currently the club's joint top goalscorer this season, alongside number nine Mark Harris.

Leigh's physical profile makes him a real threat in the air, and he hardly ever loses a header. Both Rowett and Des Buckingham before him were keen to utilise this skill by allowing the former Ipswich Town man to play high on the left-hand side when in possession, essentially having another winger on that side.

The 30-year-old is also able to do his defensive side of the game just as well. Using his physicality and pace to help United to a recent nine-game unbeaten run.

There is one side of the game where Bennet has shown himself to be a lot more natural and comfortable. Leigh has a tendency to look rushed and unorthodox on the ball at times, and is prone to make mistakes or poor decisions with the ball. Bennet is much more composed and technically sound on the ball, but won't necessarily offer as much offensively.

Bennet has until the end of the season to earn a new Oxford contract

Leigh's fine form means manager Rowett isn't in desperate need to rush Bennett back. It is likely he will feature in a squad very soon, and will start to get minutes again, but he's been back training for several weeks already.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail four weeks ago, Rowett said: “He’s probably still a week away from being considered, but he’s such a top professional that if he changes my mind within that, as long as we’re not putting him at risk, then we’ll assess that.”

This sort of situation is perfect for the manager, but less so for the player. Bennet's contract is up in the summer, and will be looking to see where he will be playing his football next season. He will be hoping that club is Oxford, but with the Englishman turning 35 next month, there's a chance that might not happen.

Oxford have Jack Currie on loan at Leyton Orient, an exciting 23-year-old left back, who's having a fantastic season in League One. You would assume United would be prioritising him over Bennet for the 2025/26 campaign.

With all this said, Bennet's main focus should be getting as many minutes as he can for the remainder of the season to give himself the best possible chance of getting signed by another team for next season, which could well possibly be in League One.

As far as Oxford and Rowett are concerned, they can afford to let Bennet slowly reach match fitness without having to throw him back into action straight away. Subsequently, they can bide their time and wait to make a decision on Bennet in the summer. Leigh, meanwhile, continues to perform well, securing yet another clean sheet against Derby County