Leeds cup win a 'season booster' for Millwall

'Focusing on the league' must be one of the most depressing football phrases in the game.

Alongside 'football is a business', it normalises a drab world of second string teams and half-hearted early FA Cup exits by superstars who haven't quite made it yet.

Well table-topping Leeds United certainly were 'focusing on the league' by making wholesale changes to their starting XI in their 2-0 loss at home to Millwall on Saturday.

Millwall's team selection was based more on the impact of injuries and cup-tied new signings, as much any league ambitions.

Despite all this, did Leeds give this cup-tie their fullest attention and effort?

It certainly looked like it as the match unfolded.

A very open game, it was stand-in Lions goalkeeper Liam Roberts who rightly earned the 'man of the match' plaudits with a string of decent saves, as well as a game-saving penalty block on 58 minutes.

Millwall will regard this excellent away performance as a real season booster - yes, whisper it, but we're only five points shy of the top six spots, dear reader.

With a terrific showing of fine counter-attacking football and strong performances by two-goal forward Femi Azeez, as well as midfielder Casper De Norre, it may well be the Lions who also get to use this cup-tie win to 'focus on the league', too.

Find more from Nick Hart at Achtung! Millwall.