West Ham vs Leeds United – Preview, Lineups, Key Men And Score Prediction
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Fixture: West Ham United vs Leeds United
Competition: FA Cup
Kick-off: 5th April, 16:30 UK time
West Ham roll the red carpet out for Leeds United at the London Stadium this afternoon as both clubs, who still have Premier League status concerns, look to reach the FA Cup semi-final.
The Hammers’ season has not gone according to plan at all. They currently find themselves in a four-way battle to avoid relegation and it is far from clear whether Nuno Espirito Santo will keep them up.
There have been encouraging signs and Adama Traore insists he believes fully in Nuno’s plan.
However, the FA Cup has been the shining light amongst it all, where Nuno’s team have been able to show what they are really capable of.
West Ham beat Brentford 5-3 on penalties in the last round to set up the clash with Leeds United.
The Hammers were beaten 2-1 by the Whites in the earlier league clash between the two this season, but Nuno does not feel it will have any effect on today’s game.
For many weeks Leeds have seemed all set to steer clear of relegation worries, but performances of late have rung some alarm bells, with one former Premier League hitman remarking that if they continue the level of their display against Sunderland then they are in trouble.
Leeds are winless in their last five league games and in that they have a more worrying record to speak of than their FA Cup opponents.
West Ham have won one of their last five games and have drawn two, showing that they are not down and out. Former Liverpool star Neil Mellor has also given them backing, despite a heavy loss at Anfield.
Despite a battle for survival, Leeds boss Daniel Farke has vowed to field a strong team and insists that along with wanting progression into the FA Cup semi-final, his side need to stay sharp.
There is the worry over whether such an intense season is catching up with the Whites though, with Lukas Nmecha admitting it has been ‘relentless’.
Farke however has told his team that today’s FA Cup game is a chance to write their names into history, and that could well give the Whites extra energy to dump West Ham out in the capital.
Leeds last won away at the London Stadium in 2022, edging a 3-2 thriller, while their last visit to the ground ended in a 3-1 loss.
Predicted Lineups
Recent Form (league)
West Ham United: LDWLD
Leeds United: DDLLD
Key Men
West Ham United
There is little doubt West Ham’s focus is on Premier League survival, but like Farke, Nuno will want his key men to stay sharp and that especially includes the attackers.
Signed in the winter window, Taty Castellanos has managed to make a positive impact so far and the Argentine will surely have his eye on creating FA Cup folklore.
In eleven Premier League matches, Castellanos has managed nine shots on target from inside the box and two outside the box. Being pitted against Leeds United’s defenders, he can capitalise on the frailties inside the Whites box.
Yet another player having the potential to become a threat from down the flanks is long-serving England international Jarrod Bowen.
Bowen has so often been the shining light for West Ham with links with Liverpool persistent in the early stages of his time at the Hammers, amid Jurgen Klopp admitting to huge admiration for the forward.
Leeds United
The visiting team are also expected to go all out to try and find the first goal of the day. With the three-man central defence, Farke is expected to put a lot of faith on his two full-backs Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle.
Both have pace to offer and have caused troubles on a number of occasions. Gudmundsson has shown equally good promise both defensively as well as in attack. He has 46 touches inside the opposition box and has successfully completed 69 dribbles.
Former star Aidy White lauded him for his surgical performance against Chelsea in December.
His partner down the other flank, Bogle, knows the English game better than his partner. Bogle has 29 interceptions and 54 defensive tackles to go with his name along with the lone goal and lone assist he has provided for his team-mates.
They can break West Ham’s defensive block together and then deliver the crosses to find the winning goal.
Match Prediction
West Ham have to be given the edge for this one due to the sheer experience they have of cup competitions combined with home advantage.
The feather in the cap was the 2023 Europa Conference League trophy under David Moyes. Experience from that win is still there in the form of players such as Alphonse Areola, Tomas Soucek and Bowen.
They are set share with the others the experience of lifting silverware, giving them motivation to see the game through.
Leeds have been poor away from Elland Road in the Premier League, but without the league pressure, they could well express themselves more freely.
It could be a tight FA Cup tie with just one goal being the difference between the two teams.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
West Ham 2-1 Leeds United
Where To Watch?
West Ham vs Leeds United in the FA Cup quarter-final shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate channels with a kick-off of 16:30 UK time. It will also be streamed live on discovery+.
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