On the latest episode of the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix discuss Patrick Bamford's FA Cup wondergoal.
Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds
Image source, Getty ImagesFind out who your team has been drawn against in the FA Cup fourth round with the full list of ties below.
Watford v Southampton
Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham
Bournemouth v Swansea City
West Brom v Brentford/Wolves
West Ham/Bristol City v Nottingham Forest/Blackpool
Leicester City v Hull City/ Birmingham City
Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Ipswich Town v Maidstone United
Liverpool v Norwich City/Bristol Rovers
Tottenham v Man City
Leeds United v Plymouth Argyle
Crystal Palace/Everton v Luton Town/Bolton
Newport County/Eastleigh v Wigan/Man Utd
Sheff Utd v Brighton
Fulham v Newcastle United
The matches will take place over the weekend of 27-28 January.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe draw for the FA Cup fourth round will take place on Monday, 8 January before the third-round tie between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United, which is being televised by ITV.
The 16 fourth-round games will be scheduled across the weekend of Saturday, 27 January.
Nicola Pearson, BBC Sport
Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Leeds United's FA Cup match against Peterborough Unitedon Sunday.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Farke confirmed Sam Byram will miss the game with a hamstring strain, with Pascal Struijk and Joe Gelhardt also unavailable. He also confirmed that Liam Cooper is a doubt, while goalkeeper Karl Darlow will be sidelined for around seven weeks with a finger injury.
He said "nothing major" happened for the club to decide to end Djed Spence's loan deal, but that they "analysed the first half of the season and impressions over the festive period" to make the decision. He added that the 23-year-old is "a cool guy with a good heart and we wish him all the best".
He added: "Not one player needs sympathy. It is a privileged position to be a football player. I want to also highlight it wasn't the easiest period for him. Sometimes it doesn't fit and it it doesn't work out, and you have to make a decision."
On whether the full-back position is a priority in the transfer window, Farke said: "No emergency case. We won't fall asleep because we brought Djed in as players were injured at the time. We have several options. If there is opportunity, at the end we will analyse and assess options and we will only do things we are 100% convinced of."
Asked about the risk of bringing in new players to the group, he said: "Wherever I go, I am always careful. One thing is quality and potential of a player, but also we get personality and characters who defend the shirt of a club and love the badge of a club."
He said he is "not interested" in rumours around Luke Ayling's future and that "so far no player is in my office asking to leave", adding: "In the summer I couldn't close the door early enough. I wanted to lock my door with a key. We are in a better situation now as a club and in the table, and everyone is buying into it."
On the FA Cup, he said: "I'm a big believer in cup competitions. I want to go as far as we can. I want to win each and every round. I know it is not realistic we will win the FA cup, but it's a big competition with big history and is an opportunity for us to present our best."
He said they "won't do anything stupid" against Peterborough as it is "more of a game on Championship level". He added: "Top teams in League One have the same quality as teams in the middle and bottom of the Championship, otherwise you can't be compete at the top of League One."
Image source, Getty ImagesDefender Djed Spence has returned to Tottenham from his loan spell at Leeds United.
The 23-year-old right-back initially moved to Elland Road on a season-long deal in August.
He made his debut in September but then suffered a knee injury in training and has been restricted to only six further Championship appearances.
A Leeds United club statement said: "We would like to thank Djed for his efforts while at Elland Road and we wish him well for his future career."
Image source, Getty ImagesLeeds striker Patrick Bamford has said he prefers to pitch himself against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup but is excited by the prospect of facing League One side Peterborough on Sunday.
The 30-year-old has only started one game in the Championship this season, featuring 16 times from the bench.
When asked his honest immediate thoughts on drawing Peterborough on the My Mate's A Footballer podcast on BBC Sounds, he said: "Brilliant - I might get a game, it could be a good chance to get minutes.
"The managers, as a sign of respect to the team they are playing, will do exactly the same level of detail for the game.
"They do clips and find their patterns of play and how they work with the ball and off the ball.
"I always want to pitch myself against the top, so I would pick a Premier League side [if I had to pick one].
"We are a team that wants to be in the Premier League and play against those top teams regularly. It is a good chance to compete to show you can do it."
FA Cup third round weekend is a huge weekend in football.
Joe Wilkinson discusses Patrick Bamford's giant-killing exploits in previous seasons and gets nosey about cup bonuses. Plus, Bamford reveals how his new haircut was received in the Leeds United dressing room.
Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds
The points-per-game trend is almost at the two desired by manager Daniel Farke - 1.85 to be precise - after 26 rounds of the Championship.
Leeds United have won more than half their matches, thanks mainly to being an unshakeable force on home soil. It is also because of some important combinations which have evolved.
Of the 14 league wins, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have started in the back four in front of goalkeeper Illan Meslier in 10 of them.
Byram has been remarkable at left-back. His performances have been consistently of a high standard either side of the halfway line, as he knits well together with top scorer Crysencio Summerville while proving an adept defender.
He has kept the likes of more natural left-sided players like Junior Firpo and Leo Hjelde out of the side. Jamie Shackleton and Djed Spence have also been used there, though it's an unnatural position for them. Bearing in mind each of those players have had injuries this season, when available, Byram is comfortably the best option.
Therein lies the issue. Availability rather than alternatives means United do not have a reliable fit at left-back.
Firpo showed his attacking prowess when providing two assists in the comfortable win over a wretched Birmingham City after replacing Byram, whose hamstring issues had flared up again. But in his own half there remain questions.
The demand for a bespoke left-back has been the refrain of many at Elland Road for some seasons now, but if Farke does dip into the market then it will take a special purchase to outshine Byram.
Rodon and Struijk have been imperious in the heart of the defence too. Club captain Liam Cooper has been limited to seven starts, although it's an absence enforced by injury. However, few can argue against the Rodon-Struijk centre-back pairing being Farke's preferred choice. It has been as solid a combination as anywhere.
While Cooper has had his moments, the same cannot be said for Charlie Cresswell.
Since signing a new four-year deal in August, the talented 21-year-old has had one Championship start. After spending last season successfully on loan at Millwall, it was hoped this could be the breakthrough Leeds campaign for him.
Whether his future lies in a further loan spell or a sale in this window is a moot point. Farke spoke at length about how he he rates the England Under-21 international and hopes he accepts the challenge of fighting for his place.
Change can come quickly in football and you have to be ready for your opportunity, but if Cresswell's lies elsewhere then it would be a shame - not only because competition for the position would be diluted, but also because an academy product would be realising his potential away from the club.
Some 14 FA Cup ties will be available to either watch or listen to live on the BBC over third round weekend, which runs from 4 January to 8 January.
We'll bring you four televised matches across BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Red Button - with all also available to watch on the BBC Sport website and app.
And you'll also be able to listen to 12 commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
Thursday, 4 January
Crystal Palace v Everton (20:00) - 5 Live
Friday, 5 January
Fulham v Rotherham United (19:30) - 5 Sports Extra
Tottenham v Burnley (20:0) - 5 Live
Saturday, 6 January
Millwall v Leicester City (12:30) - 5 Sports Extra
Sunderland v Newcastle United (12:45) - 5 Live
Gillingham v Sheffield United (15:00) - 5 Live
Southampton v Walsall (15:00) - 5 Sports Extra
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa (17:30) - 5 Live
Chelsea v Preston (17:30) - 5 Sports Extra
Sunday, 7 January
Peterborough v Leeds United (14:00) - 5 Live
Luton Town v Bolton Wanderers (14:00) - 5 Sports Extra
Monday, 8 January
Wigan v Manchester United (20:15) - 5 Live
All kick-off times listed are GMT
Image source, Getty ImagesLeeds United forward Sonny Perkins has returned to the club from his loan spell at League One side Oxford United.
The 19-year-old made six appearances in total for the U's, scoring one goal. The forward made just three league appearances, all from the bench.
In July 2022, Perkins joined the Whites from West Ham, having featured once for the Hammers in the 2021-22 Premier League season.
He played once for Leeds in the Championship this season before going on loan to Oxford.
Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock, external
When Leeds fell meekly to West Bromwich Albion in their final fixture of 2023, it was clear Daniel Farke's formula had to change. A failure to unlock opponents' low blocks highlighted the need for a creative number 10.
Farke's solution against Birmingham City at Elland Road in the first fixture of 2024 was to play Georginio Rutter at 10 - something fans had been calling for since the start of the season.
The question of whether Rutter would play at 10 instead of nine had been asked so frequently that by the pre-Bristol City news conference in October, Farke requested he no longer be asked about it.
"When it comes to strikers, I know my business," he said at the time.
But Rutter never looked natural at centre forward and when he moved to midfield on Monday, the results were instant. Georginio exploited the space between defence and midfield in ways that Joel Piroe is not suited to.
Farke's successful shuffling of the deck also looks to have rejuvenated the attack and Leeds look a far more potent threat with Rutter free to pull the strings. Deep defensive lines have haunted Leeds this season, they will hope Rutter at 10 is the solution.
Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds
Daniel Farke was appointed on 4th July by the San Francisco 49ers. A day of their own independence, if you like, proclaiming a new president at the helm of a footballing domain they were soon to control outright. The new incumbent may not have been met with parades, fireworks and barbecues but there was a steady nod of approval by the people who knew his track record spoke for itself and required little campaigning to win their vote.
Farke has an engaging charm and is a natural leader. He possesses a dry wit and a clever phrase which softens the tungsten tipped edge of his iron will which has successfully drilled through the Championship twice before. He has a practical realism as to what is required to return United to be among the Premier League's super powers. He has the emotional intelligence to understand the context within which he works. He gets it. Owners, supporters and players like him, even if a few dissenting voices can be heard after back to back league defeats for the first time this season.
He copes with pressure well; for he has had to from the off. As the summer was largely spent spilling players out of the club through sieves of contracts, he did not know who would be at training never mind available for matchday. But within three months, and a full takeover by the 49ers Enterprises, the Eagle began to soar. A winning mentality infused a squad whose experience of losing had become endemic. Farke's policies, especially on the home front, were effective and caught the eye. Accolades and awards were eschewed although he knew that a team including Sam Byram, Joel Piroe, Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon were delivering his manifesto of garnering two points per game.
So, with all factors considered so early in his tenure, a points tally of 45 points after round 25 of the contest is no mean feat if a little shy of the target. A nine point gap to Ipswich Town in second may appear daunting in the dawn's early light but a year ago Burnley, who charged to a total of 101 as champions, were on 53 at the same stage and eventual runners up Sheffield United had 50. Luton Town, who were to win the play-off final had racked up just 39. The 49ers may not be waving a triumphant Star Spangled Banner over Elland Road just yet, but this battle is far from over.
On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, the panel react as 2023 ends with back-to-back defeats for Leeds United, leaving their automatic promotion hopes in disarray.
Jonny Buchan and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix are joined by title winner Jon Newsome as they react to a loss to West Brom live at The Hawthorns.
