Leeds United delivered a convincing performance at Elland Road, comfortably beating Norwich City 3-0 in the FA Cup fifth round to book their place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2003.
Sean Longstaff, back in the starting XI, opened the scoring with a top goal in the 32nd minute, and Gabriel Gudmundsson added a second just before half-time to give Leeds a healthy advantage.
Daniel Farke’s side stayed in control throughout the second half, keeping Norwich quiet, before Joel Piroe put the result beyond doubt with his first goal of the season to complete a commanding 3-0 victory.
It was an opportunity for a few squad players to get a chance to impress Farke, and Ao Tanaka was one of them who needed to play well against Norwich to get more chances in league games.
Graham Smyth rates the performance of Ao Tanaka
Tanaka has lost his prominence at Leeds this season, and he has not started a Premier League game for Farke’s side since the end of December.
The midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last six Premier League games, showing his fall from grace at Elland Road compared to last season.
He needed to impress against Norwich City, as Sean Longstaff did, but Smyth does not feel he did enough to prove his worth to the Leeds manager.
The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist believes the Japanese midfielder was better compared to his performance against Birmingham in the last round. However, he does not feel that Tanaka was at his best.
Smyth rated Tanaka’s performance and wrote: “7 – Better than at Birmingham. Still not at his best, but there were some nice moments and lots of hard work.”
Leeds have a decision to make in the summer
Tanaka was the Championship’s best midfielder last season and was seen as one of the few Leeds players who were ready for the Premier League.
He got unlucky early in the season due to injuries, but his performances have not been convincing enough to get regular minutes in the league.
The midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from Leeds in the summer, but the club are planning to hold on to him.
Ao Tanaka – Leeds United Season Stats| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Club | Leeds United |
| Premier League Matches | 20 |
| FA Cup Matches | 3 |
| Total Matches | 23 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Minutes Played | 981 |
However, a lot will depend on what Tanaka wants, given Leeds are likely to sign another midfielder in the next summer transfer window.
He can remain a useful squad player, but Leeds could see his value drop if he continues to struggle for minutes in the Premier League next season as well.
The Whites have a decent chance of more than doubling their money if they sell Tanaka in the next window.
