Leeds United welcome the in-form Championship side to Elland Road next month.
Norwich City manager Pilippe Clement is confident his side can beat ‘every team in the world’ on their day in a warning to FA Cup fifth-round opponents Leeds United.
Leeds will face Championship opposition for the fourth time this season early next month, hosting Norwich in the FA Cup last-16. The Whites beat Birmingham City on penalties last weekend following a 1-1 draw in open play, having beaten Derby County in round three but lost to Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.
Norwich are below Birmingham and Derby in the Championship table but since appointing Clement to take charge in November, have been much improved. The Canaries have won seven of their last eight games across all competitions and lost just three times since December 9.
Leeds have given bloody noses to top Premier League teams including Chelsea and Liverpool at Elland Road, with confidence they can topple Championship opposition to make it into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002/03. But equally, Norwich boss Clement believes his side can cause an upset.
"It's a big challenge, good team, big club, big fanbase,” Clement said ahead of his side’s Championship meeting with Leeds’ fourth-round opponents Birmingham City this weekend. “I know the club already from the past, I played there in a friendly one time with Monaco and the stadium was full. It was a good experience.
"For us as a club, as a squad, it's a really good challenge. Leeds are doing really good things in the Premier League, they're out of the relegation zone. It'll be good to compete at that level. I believe against every opponent that, on one day, we can win against every team in the world and I think my players believe that also now."
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Farke rotated heavily at Birmingham but might be tempted to go a bit stronger against his former side next month, particularly if the relegation battle picture improves further. Barring any surprises, victory over Norwich would likely set up an all-Premier League tie with top-flight teams expected to make up the final eight.
Like Norwich, Leeds have shown an ability to cause real problems for technically and financially superior opposition and could fancy their chances of progressing deep into the competition. The priority, however, remains staying in the Premier League.
“Very delighted because it has felt like we’ve waited ages for a home draw,” Farke said of the meeting with former club Norwich. “We can present our supporters an important FA Cup game, better to play in a packed Elland Road. A very rare home game in the FA Cup, pretty happy with the draw.”
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