FA Cup round four news: Home draw at 14th time of asking for Leeds United, plus home comforts for Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United
LEEDS UNITED have finally been handed a home draw in the FA Cup at the 14th time of asking after being paired with Championship rivals Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the competition. Meanwhile, there were also home comforts for Steel City duo Sheffield United[1] and Sheffield Wednesday[2], who both play host to sides in the same division in the shape of Brighton and Coventry City respectively. Hull City[3] will visit Leicester City if they win their replay at Birmingham City.
After 13 away ties in the Cup, Leeds will finally entertain opposition in the competition in Argyle, who lost 2-1 at Elland Road in November.
Four Yorkshire clubs, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City were in Monday evening’s draw for the fourth round of the competition, which takes place towards the end of January.
Picture: Getty.
United are unbeaten in their last 11 home meetings with the Devonians, whose last win in Leeds was in February 1962. Their last meeting in the Cup was in West Yorkshire, with Leeds triumphing 2-1 in a fourth-round clash in February 1973, thanks to goals from Mick Bates and Allan Clarke in front of 38,374 at Elland Road. United face Premier League[4] rivals Brighton, who visit Bramall Lane in the Premier League on February 18, while Wednesday host Coventry, in a repeat of their quarter-final at Hillsborough in 1986-87 when the Sky Blues won the competition.
It also means that the Owls will host the Midlands outfit on successive weekends, with Mark Robins’s side due in at S6 for a league game on January 20. Hull’s replay at St Andrew’s takes place next Tuesday evening on January 16. They won at Leicester in the league in the autumn.
Highlights of the draw see holders Manchester City head to Spurs, while Chelsea entertain Aston Villa. National League South outfit Maidstone United head to Ipswich Town, while the winners of the replay between Newport County/Eastleigh will host Wigan Athletic or Manchester United. Leeds booked their place in round four with a comprehensive 3-0 triumph at League One outfit Peterborough United, with the win headlined by a sublime strike from Patrick Bamford.
The Blades and Owls also cruised into the last 32 with 4-0 victories over Gillingham and Cardiff City respectively. Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United and Middlesbrough all bowed out of the competition – losing to top-flight opponents Manchester City, Fulham and Aston Villa. The fourth round is due to place over the weekend of January 27-28.
Depending on schedules, some games could be staged from Thursday, January 25 to Monday, January 29. Round four victors will receive GBP120,000, with an additional GBP85,000 for those clubs whose games are televised. Fourth round draw:
Watford v Southampton. Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham. AFC 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 Hotspur v Manchester City. Crystal Palace v Luton Town/Bolton Wanderers.
Newport County/Eastleigh v Wigan Athletic/Manchester United.
Sheffield United v Brighton.
Fulham v Newcastle United.
References
- ^ Sheffield United (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)
- ^ Sheffield Wednesday (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)
- ^ Hull City (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)
- ^ Premier League (www.yorkshirepost.co.uk)