Leeds United’s FA Cup run gave a massive opportunity to some of the first team players to make their mark. Daniel Farke had a very good opinion on which players he considered starters in the team.
So when Leeds beat Derby County in the third round it gave the fringe players more chances in upcoming rounds. The likes of Joel Piroe, Wilfried Gnonto and Lucas Perri got well-deserved minutes and made it count. Two players have stood out in recent cup games, Ao Tanaka and Sean Longstaff; they proved why Farke should be playing them more this season.
Tanaka especially was brilliant in the quarter final win over West Ham, scoring a goal on the day. The Japanese international has not featured much this month, so it was nice to see how he could still impact games with his quality.
Leeds United duo to battle it out amid injury crisis
Daniel Farke confirmed that both Anton Stach and Joe Rodon will be out for the Manchester United game, and could be ruled out for the rest of the month too. This leaves a huge spot open in the starting lineup, one either of Ao Tanaka or Sean Longstaff could fill. Both have been impressive in recent cup games, and could slot in for the German.
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 21 |
| Starts | 13 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 2 |
Longstaff was an impact player at the start of the season, but he slowed down after being injured and got replaced in the lineup. Tanaka on the other hand has just not been given enough chances by Farke this season. Monday night could see either player make a long-anticipated start, and hopefully they grab the chance with both hands.
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Daniel Farke must lean on squad depth for this run in
Farke was reluctant to use the likes of James Justin and Sebastiaan Bornauw before injuries started taking a toll late last year. And this could be the same case with a number of players doubts for the next week. The Leeds United boss has to learn how to trust the players in reserve; the 49ers recruited 10 new players for a reason, and each has a different quality. These final eight games of the season are must-win games, so Farke needs to be prepared to call upon players he has overlooked this season if he wants to stand a chance at safety.
