Leeds United will host Norwich City at Elland Road for the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday, looking to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Leeds United have done well vs Norwich City in recent meetings, and they will certainly fancy their chances in the game the FA Cup fifth-round clash at Elland Road on Sunday, hoping to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
The hosts are coming into this game on the back of just one win from their last five matches in all competitions. That victory came against Birmingham City in the FA Cup, and it will be interesting to see if they can pick up another victory here.
Daniel Farke’s men are in desperate need of a confidence boost, and a win over Norwich City could do them a world of good. Meanwhile, the visitors are in impressive form. The Canaries have picked up five wins from their last six matches in all competitions, and they will look to pull off an upset here. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the upcoming meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Daniel Farke will be without Noah Okafor due to a hamstring injury this weekend. Leeds United will shape up in a 3-5-2 formation vs Norwich City, with Lucas Perri in goal.
In the back three, Sebastiaan Bornauw will start alongside Jaka Bijol and Joe Rodon. Meanwhile, Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson will start as the wing-backs. They will look to keep things tight at the back and hit the away side on the break.
As for the midfield unit, Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev will provide defensive cover and physicality in the middle of the park. Brenden Aaronson will add drive to the midfield alongside them. Finally, Lukas Nmecha will lead the line for Leeds United, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin alongside him.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Perri; Bornauw, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Aaronson, Tanaka, Gruev, Gudmundsson; Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin
Norwich City
Jovon Makama (muscle), Mohamed Toure (leg), Shane Duffy (thigh), and Manchester United loanee Harry Amass (hamstring) are unavailable for the away side. Meanwhile, Ante Crnac (knee) and Mirko Topic (knee) are out for the season.
Norwich City will shape up in a 4-5-1 formation vs Leeds United, with Daniel Grimshaw in goal. Jack Stacey and Kellen Fisher will start as the full-backs, looking to keep things tight defensively. Ruairi McConville and Harry Darling will form the central defensive partnership.
Jacob Wright and Ali Ahmed will start on the flanks, and they will look to hit Leeds United on the break. They will add width and pace to the team. Sam Field, Liam Gibbs, and Paris Maghoma will add physicality, defensive cover, and control from the middle of the park. Finally, Mathias Kvistgaarden will lead the line for Norwich City vs Leeds United on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Grimshaw; Stacey, McConville, Darling, Fisher; Wright, Field, Gibbs, Maghoma, Ahmed; Kvistgaarden
Key Stats
- Leeds United have won their last four home matches against Norwich City in all competitions.
- Leeds United have kept a clean sheet in their last three home matches against Norwich City in all competitions. 14 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
- Norwich City have won five of their last six matches across all competitions.
- Leeds United have picked up just two wins from their last six matches in all competitions.
- Anis Ben Slimane has the most assists of any player in this season’s FA Cup from the first round onwards (4), assisting two goals against each of Walsall and West Brom in the third and fourth rounds respectively.
Player to Watch
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The Leeds United striker has had an impressive season so far, and he will look to make his mark here. He will certainly fancy his chances against the Norwich City defence. He could cause all sorts of problems with his movement, finishing and aerial prowess. The home team will depend on him to make a defining contribution in the final third and help them secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Prediction
Leeds United 2-1 Norwich City
Both teams will be desperate for a victory here, and this is likely to be a close contest. Neither side is defensive in their approach, and they will look to outscore each other. Leeds United have more quality and depth in the squad, and they should be able to grind out a narrow victory.
The Whites have an impressive record against Norwich City in recent meetings, and they should be able to pick up a win at home. Both sides are likely to get on the score sheet here, but the home team will come out on top. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Daniel Farke and his charges against his former club.
