Leeds Thump Derby to Knock Them Out of FA Cup
Daniel Farke's side were well aware that they had a tall order ahead of them against mid-table Championship opposition, but the 8-0 defeat that greeted them at Newcastle has made all the difference. At Elland Road on Sunday, Leeds were able to overcome Ben Brereton Díaz's first-half goal with an impressive display of Premier League class from fringe players Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka.
The victory marked a turning point in Farke's tenure as Leeds manager, who was under pressure after a number of defensive errors. But eight changes to his starting XI seemed to have little bearing on the outcome, as the visitors were more than capable of overcoming their Championship opponents. Goals from Gnonto, Tanaka and James Justin sent the home crowd into raptures, and it's clear that this win has given Leeds the confidence they need to push for an FA Cup run.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was beaming with pride after the match, saying that he didn't want to speak about Wembley today. But it's hard to deny the prospect of another chapter in the club's history book now that they've taken a giant step towards the FA Cup final. The victory has also given Leeds an eight-point buffer from the relegation zone, a welcome boost for a team that was once under threat.
The Derby side, on the other hand, were unable to cope with the pace and intensity of Leeds' attack. Even before Gnonto scored his equalizer, it seemed as though the visitors had it all their own way. Corey Blackett-Taylor's attempt to cut back inside from the left was blocked by the defender, but the ball rebounded for Brereton Díaz to angle home a drive into the far corner.
However, Leeds were able to take control of the game after half-time, thanks in no small part to the influence of striker Joël Piroe. The Dutchman saw his penalty saved by Derby goalkeeper Jakob Zetterström, but he responded with two goals of his own as Leeds broke rapidly down the flanks.
The turning point came when Gnonto blasted home an equalizer after Piroe stepped over Jaka Bijol's pass, and Tanaka soon followed suit. The rebound from Tanaka's shot was turned in by Justin for the third goal of the game, before Leeds sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal from Nmecha's squared pass.
For Derby manager John Eustace, it was a difficult day out, but he took heart from the fact that his team were not far off their opponents. "We're proud of our efforts and glad of the experience for the debutants," he said, adding that his side had simply tired in the second half.
The rivalry between these two teams is one of the most intense in English football history, with both clubs having a long and storied past together. From Brian Clough to Frank Lampard, there have been countless battles on and off the pitch over the years, but Sunday's match was perhaps one for the ages.
Daniel Farke's side were well aware that they had a tall order ahead of them against mid-table Championship opposition, but the 8-0 defeat that greeted them at Newcastle has made all the difference. At Elland Road on Sunday, Leeds were able to overcome Ben Brereton Díaz's first-half goal with an impressive display of Premier League class from fringe players Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka.
The victory marked a turning point in Farke's tenure as Leeds manager, who was under pressure after a number of defensive errors. But eight changes to his starting XI seemed to have little bearing on the outcome, as the visitors were more than capable of overcoming their Championship opponents. Goals from Gnonto, Tanaka and James Justin sent the home crowd into raptures, and it's clear that this win has given Leeds the confidence they need to push for an FA Cup run.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was beaming with pride after the match, saying that he didn't want to speak about Wembley today. But it's hard to deny the prospect of another chapter in the club's history book now that they've taken a giant step towards the FA Cup final. The victory has also given Leeds an eight-point buffer from the relegation zone, a welcome boost for a team that was once under threat.
The Derby side, on the other hand, were unable to cope with the pace and intensity of Leeds' attack. Even before Gnonto scored his equalizer, it seemed as though the visitors had it all their own way. Corey Blackett-Taylor's attempt to cut back inside from the left was blocked by the defender, but the ball rebounded for Brereton Díaz to angle home a drive into the far corner.
However, Leeds were able to take control of the game after half-time, thanks in no small part to the influence of striker Joël Piroe. The Dutchman saw his penalty saved by Derby goalkeeper Jakob Zetterström, but he responded with two goals of his own as Leeds broke rapidly down the flanks.
The turning point came when Gnonto blasted home an equalizer after Piroe stepped over Jaka Bijol's pass, and Tanaka soon followed suit. The rebound from Tanaka's shot was turned in by Justin for the third goal of the game, before Leeds sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal from Nmecha's squared pass.
For Derby manager John Eustace, it was a difficult day out, but he took heart from the fact that his team were not far off their opponents. "We're proud of our efforts and glad of the experience for the debutants," he said, adding that his side had simply tired in the second half.
The rivalry between these two teams is one of the most intense in English football history, with both clubs having a long and storied past together. From Brian Clough to Frank Lampard, there have been countless battles on and off the pitch over the years, but Sunday's match was perhaps one for the ages.
Leeds just utterly destroyed Derby! 8-0 is insane! I was watching this game and at halftime I'm thinking "okay they're gonna give it a go", but Farke makes those 8 subs and suddenly we see some talent coming through! Gnonto, Tanaka, Justin... these guys are the future of Leeds! The way they just ran over Derby's defense was beautiful to watch. And to think this win takes them out of FA Cup contention? What an opportunity! 
Oh man, Derby got THUMPED! I mean, 8-0 is just brutal, especially when you're playing in the FA Cup. They must've thought they were going to get a nice little cuppa and a nap afterwards 
. But seriously, Leeds looked like a completely different team out there, especially after half-time. That Joël Piroe guy is on fire 
! And Wilfried Gnonto's goal was just the icing on the cake 
. I'm loving every minute of this FA Cup run for Leeds - it's about time they took a bite out of the big boys 
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Daniel Farke's team played some of the best football I've seen in ages - so organized and confident on the pitch 
And let's be real, 8 goals is a WHOLE Lotta Goals 
! Derby were just unable to cope with the pace and intensity of Leeds' attack. The fact that Leeds are now an 8-point buffer from the relegation zone is pure gold 
Can't wait to see what happens next for this FA Cup run! 
from the start. They just couldn't cope with Leeds' pace and intensity. Eustace said they were proud of their effort but let's be real, 8-0 isn't exactly a badge of honor 
just saw this news about Leeds thrashing Derby 8-0 in the FA cup... i gotta say it's a complete game changer for them! 8 changes to their starting XI and they still managed to pull off an epic win 
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. And Derby can't be too hard on themselves – they just ran out of steam in the second half 
. They've been through some dark times, but now they're back in the FA Cup mix. It's a new chapter in the club's history, and I'm hyped to see what's next 
. Bring on the quarterfinals! 
. On the bright side, at least they're getting some valuable experience for their young players. I'm just hoping they don't get too discouraged by this loss.
The Derby side just couldn't handle the pace of Leeds' attack though. Guess you could say they got knocked out of the running 
they really stepped up their game & showed the prem league class 
️ like gnonto & tanaka were on fire 
️ and farke's got the team believing now 
i think this win marks a major turning point 4 him as a manager 
he'll be back on top in no time 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around that 8-0 scoreline in favor of Leeds. Eight changes to their starting XI and they just dominated Derby? 
I also love the way Daniel Farke has made those 8 changes to his starting XI - it's like he's giving everyone a chance to shine. And let's be real, Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka are absolute stars now! 
They've really stepped up their game, and it's not just about the goals they're scoring, but how they're contributing to the team as a whole.
I'm thinking what changed at Leeds in this game? Was it just the players that were playing or was there something else going on? Did they make some kind of tactical switch at half time or did they just get their heads back into the game?