Leeds United secured a 3–1 victory over Derby County in the third round of the FA Cup, booking their place in the next stage and underlining the depth and resilience of their squad.
Daniel Farke’s side trailed 1–0 at the interval at Pride Park after Ben Brereton Díaz put the hosts ahead in the first half, but the visitors responded emphatically after the break.
Wilfried Gnonto drew Leeds level in the 55th minute before Ao Tanaka struck the decisive goal just minutes later, completing the turnaround and sending the Whites through to the fourth round. James Justin added a third in injury time.
Despite rotating his starting XI, Farke saw his players rise to the occasion. A fast start to the second half shifted the momentum, and Leeds ultimately did enough to avoid an FA Cup upset at Pride Park.
However, Joel Piroe missed a penalty in the first half, which is likely to force him further away from Farke’s plans for the Premier League.
Daniel Farke takes a sly dig at Leeds United’s Joel Piroe
Piroe has yet to score this season, and had a golden chance to make his chance count today. However, the missed penalty showed why he is not getting as many opportunities this season.
Farke admitted that his players did well to remain focused despite missing great chances in the first half, including the penalty.
He sent a message towards Piroe by insisting that his squad players will need to remain more focused as he needs competition for places in his team and a deep cup run this season.
Farke told reporters after the game: “If you miss the chances we did in the first half, and they score how they did, we had to keep our heads and stick to our processes.
“All the goals were taken in an excellent way. Well deserved.”
“Good for the confidence of the new faces in the team. Good for the mood across the squad.
“A reminder, everyone needs to stay on it because of the competition for places. Priority is survival, but any chance of a cup run, we will give it a go.”
Piroe is only going to drop further down the pecking order
Piroe, who has not ruled out leaving in January, ended last season as the Championship’s top scorer, his goals propelling Leeds United to the top of the table and securing automatic promotion to the Premier League.
That standing shifted rapidly after the arrivals of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha. Once Calvert-Lewin regained full fitness, Piroe was pushed out of the starting XI earlier in the campaign.
Although Daniel Farke has consistently labelled Piroe the most natural finisher in his squad, he has also hinted that the Dutchman lacks the physical profile needed to lead the line in the Premier League.
That assessment has been reflected in selection decisions. Piroe has fallen down the pecking order and is now viewed as a fourth-choice option, with Noah Okafor partnering Calvert-Lewin in the 5-3-2 setup.
Piroe didn’t help his cause by not scoring when he got a chance to start. He is likely to be back on the bench when Leeds host Fulham at Elland Road on Saturday.
