Daniel Farke had no need to channel Marcel Bielsa and send any spies to watch Derby train this past week to know that, even with eight changes to his starting XI, his Leeds squad had more than enough Premier League class to overcome mid-table Championship opposition. Goals from the fringe players Wilfried Gnonto, Ao Tanaka and James Justin enabled Leeds to bounce back from their dramatic 4-3 defeat at Newcastle and overturn Ben Brereton Díaz’s first-half goal. Leeds have lost just once in nine games now and, as well as an eight-point buffer from the relegation zone, can now countenance the prospect of an FA Cup run.
With all the history surrounding this midday kick-off, it was a tame opening half-hour before Leeds upped the intensity to earn the chance to go ahead. Even with their much-changed lineup, the running off the ball and incision of passing of the Premier League side suggested an opening goal was incoming. The fact it then went to Derby only accelerated the adrenaline.
Joël Piroe had just shot off the inside of the near post, after Noah Okafor was tackled when breaking in on goal, when Lukas Nmecha ran off the back of Danny Batth and was upended by Jacob Widell Zetterström as the Derby goalkeeper came flying out.
