Leeds United dealt main blow moments earlier than FA Cup conflict after West Ham row
Leeds boss Daniel Farke was told of a major blow that could hugely impact the Whites before their FA Cup quarter-final clash against West Ham
Daniel Farke learned of a major blow just moments before Leeds’ FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham(Image: Steve Bardens, Getty Images)
Leeds were embroiled in an extraordinary penalty shoot-out dispute ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final clash.
The Whites manager Daniel Farke turned up at West Ham only to discover that should the match go to spot-kicks, the shoot-out cannot take place in front of the visiting supporters’ section. The decision is understood to have been made for safety reasons following discussions with police and the local safety advisory group.
However, it represents a highly unusual situation and sets a precedent, as shooting towards one particular end can provide an advantage, with the referee normally tossing a coin to determine which end is used and which side goes first.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Leeds have travelled with 9,000 supporters to West Ham, and there’s a significant police operation in place due to security and safety concerns surrounding the fixture.
West Ham have called it a “dynamic” decision based on security considerations that will only be confirmed if required.
Leeds have already prevailed in a penalty shoot-out at Birmingham City this campaign, while West Ham triumphed on spot-kicks into the away end at home in front of 5,000 Brentford supporters.
If the 90 minutes end in a draw, extra-time would be played before a shootout would be required.
Both West Ham and Leeds headed into Sunday’s clash with the reward of reaching Wembley on the table. The winner will be named as the fourth team to enter the semi-final draw, which will be made after the conclusion of the tie at the London Stadium
Manchester City are the overwhelming favourites after battering Liverpool 4-0 on Saturday. Chelsea put seven past League One strugglers Port Vale, before Southampton caused the upset of the round by beating Arsenal at home.
Leeds took the lead in an end-to-end clash after 26 minutes when Ao Tanaka fired a shot off the underside of the crossbar that bounced the right side of the line.
