Sunday’s FA Cup trip to St Andrew’s should provide a chance for Leeds United fringe players to impress.
Leeds United are back in FA Cup action this weekend and a few fringe players will be out with a point to prove. Daniel Farke’s trusted Premier League core feels very much set in stone but a trip to Championship play-off hopefuls Birmingham City will provide others with an opportunity to impress.
Farke rotated heavily for his side’s 3-1 third-round win at Derby County and after a brief scare, his second-string outfit’s superiority was on show at Pride Park. Leeds have lost just one of their five league games since but some of those who got minutes in Derbyshire have barely had a sniff.
With several changes expected from the side that drew 2-2 at Chelsea on Tuesday, a few of those on the fringes will have a chance to stake their claim for more Premier League exposure. Below, the YEP takes a look at who will be out to impress.
Lucas Perri
Leeds did not spend close to £16million on Perri for him to be back-up but after some high-profile errors, that is the role he currently occupies. The Brazilian hadn’t looked particularly sure of himself all season and went on to concede soft goals against Manchester United and Newcastle.
Farke publicly criticised Perri after both games, insisting he ‘should have done better’ and ‘knows he has to step up’ before making the decision to drop his first-choice goalkeeper. Interestingly, it was that previous FA Cup game at Derby in which the change was made, with Karl Darlow coming in and keeping his place since.
Birmingham in the cup should give Perri a chance to get back between the posts in a game where he is unlikely to face serious pressure, particularly with the ball at his feet. Given Darlow’s more recent performances - Nottingham Forest in particular - replacing the Welshman in league action is unlikely but a good performance at St Andrew’s will do no harm.
Ao Tanaka
It’s been an unusual season for the Japan international, who has enjoyed moments to rival anyone else in the squad but not started a Premier League game since mid-December at Brentford. Goals against Chelsea and Liverpool played a big part in kickstarting Leeds’ brilliant winter run but a first European top-flight campaign has certainly been a learning curve.
Such is Farke’s trust of Ilia Gruev that Tanaka is arguably Leeds’ fifth-choice midfielder at present, with the technically brilliant playmaker a little off-pace within the frantic Premier League. substitute appearances have been underwhelming, with the 27-year-old looking undercooked when coming into a match off the bench.
Tanaka’s best performances this season have come from the start and once Leeds head into a run of home fixtures they expect to dominate, it could be an opportunity for the midfielder to shine. To get that chance, however, he’ll need to perform when given the chance as expected on Sunday.
Facundo Buonanotte
Buonanotte left Chelsea for Leeds last month in search of regular football but it has not been forthcoming, with the 21-year-old left out of the matchday squad entirely against Nottingham forest last week - a decision the YEP understands was not injury-related. Farke has regularly insisted his new signing will need time, such was the lack of minutes he enjoyed between August and January.
An FA Cup tie against Championship opposition is exactly the type of game Buonanotte should run, with freedom to roam and create rather than being forced to complete defensive tasks against a superior opponent. Minutes under the belt will be greatly appreciated.
Read More
Joel Piroe
There was January transfer interest in Joel Piroe from the Championship and abroad but the Dutchman’s preference was to stay at Elland Road, with Leeds making no effort to force him out either. The striker remains keen to prove himself a Premier League striker but having not played more than 20 minutes in a single league game since Arsenal in August, that is not so easy.
Piroe last started in the FA Cup third-round win at Derby and while he played well overall, a missed penalty means the 2024/25 Championship Golden Boot winner is still yet to score this season. In fact, he’s only scored in one game since March 2024 - his four-goal haul against Stoke City.
It remains to be seen if Piroe will be a Leeds player beyond the summer but having given so much in terms of goals during the title-winning campaign, he deserves another chance to celebrate with the fans. And if Farke’s side can get themselves safe from relegation with games to spare, an opportunity to open his Premier League account wouldn’t go amiss.
Continue Reading