The pair are adored by Leeds supporters but they are two examples of a growing reality
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
05:00, 17 Feb 2026
Ao Tanaka played his first game since January 26 on Sunday
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Ao Tanaka played his first game since January 26 on Sunday(Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
A penalty shoot-out win provides a certain buzz and an undercurrent feeling of luck - the mood in which Leeds United fans would have left St Andrew’s on Sunday. The Premier League team cannot argue they were the better side.
Daniel Farke began his post-match press conference by mirroring many supporters online, directing praise onto Birmingham City for their performance. There was a sense of relief as much as joy.
It was ultimately three kicks of the ball that saved Leeds from a second cup upset of the season - Lucas Perri’s shoot-out save from Tommy Doyle, Tyler Roberts’ skied effort and Sean Longstaff’s winner. It could have easily gone the other way.
Both sides made six changes yet the difference in value of both sides was millions. How apt that it was free agent Lukas Nmecha that put Leeds ahead. He now has three goals in as many appearances and five in seven starts.
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But he and Lucas Perri were the only rotation players that stood out. Ao Tanaka was far off it, and has been for some time.
He is obviously not a bad player and has indeed been hampered by not starting a Premier League game in 2026, not getting on the pitch for the last three.
Tanaka is an emotional character, as was shown following his tears in the dressing room after facing an angry away end at Luton Town last April.
And after the home win over West Ham United in October, he candidly confessed: “I need to improve my quality every game. And because this is the Premier League, I can't play high performance every game.”
Subsequent goals against Liverpool and Chelsea will live long in the memory but there has not been much else to remember about the 27-year-old’s season, which has contained a few poor outings. He’s hardly the only squad player to be lacking.
Wilfried Gnonto seems to be having trouble finding consistency too. His goal in the last FA Cup round against Derby County was his first after being named in the line-up in just six occasions this season.
He scored three in three in the final three games of last season. A long injury lay-off between September and November has not helped his progress, nor has the change to a 3-5-2 system.
Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds United is challenged by Kai Wagner of Birmingham City
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Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds United is challenged by Kai Wagner of Birmingham City during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match
He is still only 22 years old, yet for someone with 135 appearances for Leeds, Gnonto has largely failed to excite this season, even from the bench.
Facundo Buonanotte had a horrid full debut at Birmingham City and Sean Longstaff has been unable to reach the levels he showed back in August and September, post-injury. All the while, Sam Byram might have played his last game for Leeds and Daniel James continues to battle persistent injury issues.
Of course, not every player in any given squad will always be on top form, and especially for a newly-promoted club. As the saying goes, form is temporary and class is permanent - these players have produced in the past, none are unknowns
But it is also fair to say that some have found it difficult to maintain a standard for a sustained period of time. In one sense, then, the win over a valiant Birmingham brings out one positive.
“Several players who didn't have that many minutes in the recent weeks and recent months - for them, [they got] important minutes. Also, they have proven that we need all of them,” said Farke after full time.
“It’ll be great for the spirit within the group and the whole unity and togetherness. Even if a bit of a scruffy game, it’s good for the confidence. This will also help with the mentality for the group.”
However, Farke also underlined how the “Premier League is a different level and a different set-up”.
What was moderately acceptable in the FA Cup will not be in the league. There has formed a clear select group who are first XI contenders and those who are a bit off that currently.
There is confidence in regulars but concern is held over several back-up options, which feeds back into what fuelled the desire within those supporters who wanted more reinforcement in January.
Leeds have shown enough overall to signal that they might well have enough to secure Premier League survival, with the 2-2 draw at Chelsea without key players Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Pascal Struijk being the latest example.
Yet there is a sense that certain players can still do more to help Leeds along that journey. For now, the only solution is hard graft and improvement, and Farke has shown he is a manager that can instigate that.
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Leeds in the end might be fine, which is all that matters. But few should be expecting a surge up the table given the evidence of Sunday and previous displays from rotation players.