Leeds United

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

It looked like his touch had put the ball out for a goal kick.

But 30 minutes into Sunday's FA Cup clash with Norwich City, Gabriel Gudmundsson strained every sinew to slide a cross to Sean Longstaff who – in a manner reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp or Dele Alli – looped a ball up with his left foot, swivelled and hammered in a fierce strike with his right.

Finally, after 22 chances created this season, Gudmundsson had registered his first assist for Leeds United.

The Swedish left back has been a revelation after a tricky start in West Yorkshire.

Although goal involvements took longer than anyone imagined; Gudmundsson's attacking abilities have been praised since he tormented Everton's Jake O'Brien in the first minutes of the season.

But it was his defending that seemed to be a problem.

During the first half of the campaign the vast majority of Leeds' goals conceded were from attacks down their left side. The problem peaked ahead of a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City in late November.

United went into that game with seven of their previous eight goals conceded coming down Gudmundsson's side.

Daniel Farke's solution was to drop the entire left flank. Within 25 minutes Leeds were 2-0 down and it was clear that the issue was not personnel but structural.

A half-time switch to three at the back solved the problem and transformed Leeds' season.

Gudmundsson's best defensive performance of the year came in the following game when he dominated Chelsea's Estevao so completely the Brazilian was yanked at half-time and Leeds won 3-1.

If the Swede will now add goal involvements to his Premier League form, then in Gudmundsson Leeds may have the perfect left back and at £10m, he is one of the bargains of last summer.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external

And you can listen to what Gudmundsson had to say to BBC Radio Leeds about scoring his first goal by pressing play above or heading over to BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the FA Cup quarter finals has been made. Here is a list of all the ties in the order they were drawn:

• Southampton v Arsenal

• Chelsea v Port Vale

• Manchester City v Liverpool

• West Ham or Brentford v Leeds United

The ties will be played around the weekend of Saturday, 4 April.

Watch all the highlights and best video from this season's FA Cup

We asked for your views on Sunday's FA Cup fifth round win over Norwich City.

Here are some of your comments:

Sarah: Feels weird as a Leeds fan to witness a run of the mill win and a cup run.

Eric: Got the job done and that was the main thing. Slow start in first 20 minutes then took control with two excellent goals. Slightly less impressive in second half, some sloppy passing but, hey, it was a very good Team 'B' performance and gave some players a bit of game time. Thought Tanaka had a good game, Gnonto wasteful and at times a yard too short. First time in QF for over 20 years, now that's something worth celebrating.

Kevin: Brilliant performance, we are a better side with James and Tanoka in the first XI.

Paul: When Leeds press down the wings they look like a really good side. They need to do that more often. Recent performances are encouraging too. Hopefully enough quality to stay up.

Barry: Still a couple of rounds to get through, but performances like today's make you believe. Marching on together!

Robert: Played very well, in what I thought would be a really hard game. After 15 mins we dominated & destroyed Norwich. Great for Daniel that the team responded with a very positive performance after 2 home defeats in a row. Quater-finals next & who knows what can happen from there?

Mark: Absolutely delighted. Strong performance, good goals and a clean sheet. Well done to Daniel and his coaching staff and of course to the players. Now three points midweek would be even better.

Andrew: Great result. Could have been uncomfortable if Norwich had taken some chances in second half. I hope this gives the squad confidence going into the season run in. And now with touching distance of a semi at Wembley.

Andy: They say you can only beat what's in front of you - so it's probably a good job Norwich were fairly poor. Effective performance without being spectacular. The Championship stars from last season looked a little off the pace but very happy with the win.

Pundits Ellen White and Glenn Murray join host Kelly Somers to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday and Sunday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Port Vale 1-0 Sunderland

• Fulham 0-1 Southampton

• Leeds 3-0 Norwich

• Wrexham 2-3 Chelsea

• Newcastle 1-3 Man City

• Mansfield Town 1-2 Arsenal

• Wolves 1-3 Liverpool

Leeds boss Daniel Farke, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It is still not realistic for us to win the FA Cup. We started this competition with many teams, apart from us just seven teams can win it but who knows?

"If we show this level of performance against each opponent then we can live the dream a bit longer. The focus is on the Premier League but it is definitely good to have a chance to perhaps write another chapter of Leeds United history. It's a good feeling."

On watching from the stands because of his ban: "Of course I had privileged view of the goals but I prefer to be with my boys to be on the sidelines.

"I'm pretty happy my coaches and staff have delivered. Another proof you shouldn't over promote the role of the manager as the players have to deliver on the pitch."

Did you know?

• Leeds have progressed to the quarter-final of the FA Cup for the first time since the 2002-03 season, when they were eliminated at that stage by Sheffield United. The Whites scored more goals today (3) than they managed in their four previous FA Cup fifth round matches combined (2).

• Daniel Farke is now unbeaten in all of his seven matches against his former club Norwich City across all competitions (W5 D2), only facing Bristol City (P10 W7 D3) more times without suffering a single defeat.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Get in touch with your views here

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There's nine changes for Leeds from the side that lost to Sunderland in midweek with just Gabriel Gudmundsson and Ethan Ampadu retaining their places.

Leeds XI: Perri, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, James, Longstaff, Piroe, Nmecha, Bijol, Tanaka, Bornauw, Gnonto.

Subs: Darlow, Bogle, Struijk, Aaronson, Stach, Justin, Byram, Buonanotte, Gruev.

Championship side Norwich have named a strong team with their only change coming in goal as Daniel Grimshaw starts.

Norwich XI: Grimshaw, Fisher, McConville, Cordoba, Chrisene, Field, McLean, Gibbs, Maghoma, Ahmed, Kvistgaarden

Subs: Kovacevic, Stacey, Medic, Darling, Wright, Springett, Forson, Slimane, Mundle-Smith

There are three fifth-round ties in the FA Cup on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Fulham v Southampton (12:00) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 & BBC Radio Solent

• Port Vale v Sunderland (13:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio Newcastle

• Leeds v Norwich (16:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Leeds & BBC Radio Norfolk

Kick-off times GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Southampton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Leeds v Norwich", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

How to follow the FA Cup fifth round on the BBC

Leeds' defeat by Sunderland, and then seeing West Ham and Nottingham Forest get good results in midweek, might just change the way Daniel Farke approaches this tie against his former club.

I can see him really prioritising Premier League survival. Next week's league game against Crystal Palace is a massive game, and I think he will leave his big-hitters out of this tie.

That opens the door for Norwich, who are in amazing form under Philippe Clement despite being depleted by injury.

He has done an unbelievable job and they are one of the form teams in the Championship.

Clement has brought belief and a winning mentality to the team and they play good football too.

I was at Elland Road in 2024 when Leeds destroyed Norwich 4-0 in the Championship play-off semi-final.

This time, I actually think my old side will go there and win - just as we did in the 1993-94 season, when Jeremy Goss scored one of the goals of the season, external.

People always talk about that Goss goal but a young striker called Chris Sutton put in a centre-forward masterclass that day, and he even found the net as well, with a clever finish.

It won't be 4-0 this time, but we will see another Norwich victory. Let me dream - the Canaries can make it to Wembley.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2, after extra time

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Leeds United director and investor Peter Lowy sat down with Don't Go To Bed Just Yet earlier this week.

You can watch three clips of his chat below - covering Daniel Farke, Elland Road and his love for the Whites - or get the full thing in podcast form here

Explore all Leeds United content on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Leeds reporter Adam Pope says that fan panic since the Sunderland defeat has been "disproportionate".

With a 1-0 loss to the Black Cats on Tuesday, the Whites made it three in a row without a win at Elland Road - where their form has been strong this season.

The result made way for West Ham and Nottingham Forest, each avoiding defeat on Wednesday, to close the gap, leaving Leeds three points clear of the relegation zone.

But Pope believes that United are still in a good place.

"I don't think it's as drastically wrong as people are making out," Pope told the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

"The head loss this week has been disproportionate - I know it's largely because other teams have had results.

"But I still think they're in a very, very good position, and it's a position which allows them to be strong [in the FA Cup] this weekend.

"They've got a really good chance of going deep into this competition."

Drawn at home to a Championship side, Leeds have the opportunity to reach their first FA Cup quarter-final since the 2002-03 season if they beat Norwich on Sunday.

But with their Premier League position yet to be secured, manager Daniel Farke must decide how much he wants to commit to the knockout contest in his squad selection.

Pope notes that a home win in the cup could offer a well-needed boost to their league campaign.

"The side that played Derby, the side that played Birmingham - it should be enough to turn over Norwich, particularly at Elland Road," he said.

"But you can't be having a third defeat [in a row at home].

"It's a great chance to go and have a cup run, and give the fans something in a season which hasn't had much joy. It's a tough old league, it's very much the season we expected in terms of how it would feel - always looking over your shoulder.

"They need the winning feeling back, definitely."

You can listen to the full episode on Don't Go To Bed Just Yet on BBC Sounds

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Sunday's FA Cup fifth round game against Noriwch City at Elland Road (16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Farke confirmed striker Noah Okafor is "not in team training yet and will not be available for this game" while he said "all the others seem all right and if nothing happens over the next few days, I should have a full squad available".

• Farke was asked about receiving a one-match suspension following his red card after full-time in last weekend's defeat by Manchester City: "I think the message I will take is that I will never jog on the pitch again because I was accused of entering the pitch and confronting the referee. I did my jogging and I won't again because I probably look a bit scary when I jog. I still think it wasn't the right decision to show me a red card because, even if I jogged, it isn't right to be given a red card anyway."

• More on the red card and decision not to appeal it: "There was not one bad word, no accusation or no bad language or whatever. I think the red card shouldn't stand, however I haven't appealed the one-match ban for one simple reason: because if I appeal and the panel comes together for two weeks, we speak again about this topic and then the decision is made. I don't think it makes sense to talk more about this topic and that's why I've simply accepted the ban."

• Farke was asked about switching attention from the Premier League relegation battle to the FA Cup: "We have at least a chance to go into the quarter-finals, which has been a while for this club. Then if you win that, you're just one game away. We know it is the cup with the most tradition in Europe and it is very special."

• However, he was frank about where Leeds' primary focus is: "Of course, survival in the Premier League is always the priority. For a newly promoted side, it has to be this way. But if you have the chance to progress you want to, so long as it's without risking any players or doing anything stupid."

• On facing his former side: "Norwich gave me my first opportunity in the UK, this club will always have a special place in my heart. But my focus is with my team, my club, my supporters. It is a disappointment I cannot be on the bench but I have confidence in my staff they can be successful. Big compliment to what Norwich have done in recent weeks, I was hoping they would do better when they were suffering. Right now they are in a situation where they can concentrate on the FA Cup and play their strongest line-up."

Follow all of Friday's FA Cup news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Leeds v Norwich on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

After a worrying loss to Sunderland in the Premier League, attentions now turn to Norwich City for Leeds United as the FA Cup returns.

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Simon Rix discuss both those games and season ticket prices on the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just yet.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Leeds United content on BBC Sounds

Image source, Reuters

Leeds boss Daniel Farke was sent off for questioning the referee's timekeeping at the end of the 1-0 defeat by Manchester City.

I felt for him. For years and years, the managers of the so-called smaller Premier League clubs have had an inward belief that the top teams tend to get more decisions go their way than they do. I certainly did!

The time being added on at the end of a game is getting longer and longer, with both teams often complaining about the rationale of the referee's decision.

I have always believed that every game should have a timekeeper working in unison with the referee, and showing everyone in the stadium, including supporters, when the clock is stopped and restarted.

Rugby union uses this method, and it works so well. With stoppages, like the types we see in football when injured goalkeepers go down, or for substitutions and any other significant breaks, we can see the clock stop and start by the referee's signal, but the timekeeper is overseeing it all.

Referees have enough on their plates today dealing with the ghosts of Stockley Park and their video assistant referees (VAR), let alone guessing what time to add on.

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds boss Daniel Farke has been given a one-game touchline ban and by the FA for his sending off after the defeat by Manchester City.

The German headed straight on to the Elland Road pitch at the final whistle to confront referee Peter Bankes, aggrieved at several decisions in his side's hard-fought 1-0 loss in the Premier League.

In his new conference before the next game, Farke said he "will never jog again" after being "embarrassed in front of the whole world" by his sending off - the first of his 16-year managerial career.

An FA statement said Farke admitted the misconduct charge and "accepted the standard one-match suspension and £8,000 fine".

The punishment means Farke will not be on the touchline for Leeds FA Cup fifth-round tie against his former side Norwich City at Elland Road on Sunday.

Pundits Micah Richards and Danny Murphy join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from the midweek Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds

Leeds United have announced a US tour before the 2026-27 season begins.

The Whites will take on Sunderland, Leeds and Wrexham across three different US cities.

Daniel Farke's side will take on Wrexham in Tampa on 25 July, before facing Sunderland in New Jersey on 30 July and Liverpool in Chicago on 2 August.

It will mark the first time Leeds have visited the US in 29 years.

The latest episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet sees an interview with Leeds United director Peter Lowy.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Below this post you can scroll to find five clips of Lowy speaking in the BBC Radio Leeds studio.

Considering it was matchday on the morning of an important Premier League clash with Sunderland Pete Lowy was surprisingly relaxed. The club director and investor is an avid supporter who admitted to us he still finds seeing the green of the Elland Road pitch magical and how he loves to arrive early and sit in the empty stadium.

Lowy, the Principle of the Lowy Family Group (the family who founded and built Westfield), was at ease in the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast studio talking at length about his passion not only for Leeds United but the redevelopment of the stadium and the importance of the government's support for the mass transit project in helping connect the ground and surrounding area to the city centre. Lowy revealed £10-£20m has already been committed to improving the ground and how a huge effort is ongoing to regenerate the South Leeds area which is severely under served.

"The real key is that we're working with local government and the national government and it is that their job is to invest in the infrastructure," Lowy told us.

"If they invest in the infrastructure and put in the tram, light rail, whatever you want to call it, then as developers, we can invest capital to develop that part of the city."

As for the football he was adamant that the club was in a healthy financial position with regards to PSR and although it was too early to discuss Daniel Farke's future he admitted that the manager's credentials to work effectively in the Premier League were not in question, stating emphatically: "What more does he have to prove?"

Oh, and come the day another season in the top flight is secured, without any guarantees just yet he warned, he told supporters the drinks are on him. "Let's pick the game where we know we're staying up in the Premier League and the pub's on me," said Lowy.

Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet in discussion with Peter Lowy

Leeds United board member Peter Lowy has been talking to the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team about the expansion of Elland Road: "We've spent somewhere between £10m and £20m already, probably closer to £20m.

"I would like to say that our work with the city has been fantastic. Historically, the relationship between the club and the city hasn't been that great, especially when the club went in administration.

"We came along and we got approval to do a whole renovation and an expansion of the stadium in two and a half years. That is a fantastic job between the city and ourselves."

He also talks about expanding capacity to 47,000 initially, then 53,000, as well as the public transport options they are working on and why revenue is critical to Leeds United prospering.

You can hear more of his chat below or on BBC Sounds here

Explore all Leeds United content on BBC Sounds