Sunday 5th April, 4:30pm | London Stadium
Leeds United travel to the London Stadium on Easter Sunday for one of the most loaded fixtures in the club's recent memory. An FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham that carries the weight of a cup dream, and the subplot of a relegation battle all wrapped into ninety minutes. For the first time in over two decades, Leeds find themselves in the last eight of the FA Cup, having dispatched Derby County, Birmingham City and Norwich City on the way to the quarter finals. Daniel Farke has spoken openly about writing history for this club. On Sunday, his Leeds side get their chance.
The cup run hasn’t exactly been pretty to watch, a lacklustre first half against Derby and penalties to overcome Birmingham before a convincing victory against Norwich, but it has been a distraction from an anxious Premier League season. Leeds sit 15th in the table, four clear of the drop zone. Comfortable enough to breathe but not comfortable enough to relax. But West Ham are in a far more desperate position in 18th, only one solitary point from safety, clinging to Premier League status by their fingernails. The irony is exquisite, two relegation-threatened clubs meeting in a cup quarter-final, each balancing their league fate against a potential trip to Wembley and even a shot at silverware.
Farke has addressed the dilemma head-on and his answer is unambiguous: Leeds are going for it. He made clear at his press conference that resting players in cotton wool makes no sense, even if we play Manchester United eight days later. He'll name a strong side. The caveat, however, is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who felt his hamstring during training on Friday and had to cut the session short. A precautionary scan has been ordered, and his availability for Sunday is in doubt. Losing our focal point would hurt. Anton Stach, who had hip problems earlier in the week, returned to training on Friday and should be available but may not be worth the risk. Gabriel Gudmundsson has had a tough international break with Sweden but has been one of the stories of the season and we look less of a threat without him.
West Ham have their own selection headache in the shape of Crysencio Summerville, and what a subplot that is. The flying Dutchman joined the Hammers from Leeds for £26 million two summer ago and has started to repay them in recent weeks, scoring seven goals in ten games before a calf injury sidelined him for the last two matches. His availability remains unclear, and West Ham will likely weigh up the risk carefully given they host Wolves in a must-win Premier League fixture five days later. Goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański also remains out, while Jean-Clair Todibo is pushing to return from his own calf strain. Nuno's side have been stubborn at home, unbeaten in six at the London Stadium, but they've drawn in five of those, a pattern that hints at a side that can frustrate but not always kill.
Thoughts may be on Premier League survival, but right now an FA Cup semi-final is the prize, and Farke spoke with genuine emotion about the prospect of a trip back to Wembley, this time with a better outcome. For West Ham, they haven't been to the FA Cup semi-finals since 2006. These are not clubs overrun with recent memories of Wembley and both managers will know exactly what is at stake and both will name competitive sides. The concern for Leeds is that form, back-to-back nil nil draws, a bluntness in the final third. It may work against them in a tight, tense cup tie where moments of quality decide everything. But the absence of Summerville and potentially others from either side makes this extremely difficult to call.
Farke's parting thought in his press conference was perhaps the most telling: "We are in the driving seat. We can achieve our goals." He was talking about the relegation run-in, but you sense he means both. Leeds have a group that is unified, a manager who believes, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reach an FA Cup semi-final. Sunday is the day to grab it.
