Key Points
- Daniel Farke insists Leeds United will not risk any player in Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Derby County, prioritising Premier League survival.
- The head coach still targets progression in the competition and hints at rotation while maintaining a competitive line-up.
- Farke reflects on a gruelling festive schedule and a dramatic 4-3 defeat at Newcastle United ahead of the third-round clash.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) January 9, 2026 – Daniel Farke has underlined that Leeds United will “not risk any player” in Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup third-round tie away to Derby County, stressing that top-flight survival remains the club’s primary objective even as he chases a place in the next round.
Leeds United begin their 2026 FA Cup campaign at Pride Park just four days after a punishing 4-3 Premier League defeat at Newcastle United, with Farke acknowledging both the physical toll on his newly promoted side and the need to rotate, while insisting he still wants to progress in the competition, according to Leeds United’s official website.
How is Daniel Farke approaching the FA Cup tie against Derby County?
According to reporting on the Leeds United official site, Daniel Farke described the trip to Pride Park as another demanding assignment in what he called a “tough run of fixtures,” coming after four Premier League matches in 10 days and a dramatic loss at St James’ Park. He said he is a “big believer in cup competition” and made clear he wants his team to win and move into the next round, despite the strain on the squad.
As reported by the Leeds United media team of Leeds United, Farke said it was “not realistic” for a newly promoted side to be considered favourites to win the FA Cup given that leading Premier League clubs have dominated recent editions, but he argued that Leeds have shown this season they can compete with top sides in one-off matches and therefore should still “give it a try” in the tournament.
Why does Daniel Farke say Leeds United will not risk any player?
Farke made clear that while he wants a cup run, the overriding priority is to “earn survival and to stay in the Premier League,” and for that reason he stated that Leeds will not risk any player’s fitness in the Derby tie, according to the club’s official preview of the match. He indicated that this calculation will inform his selection, particularly for players carrying knocks or at greater risk of fatigue after an intense festive period.
How might this affect Leeds United’s team selection for Derby County?
In the same interview, Farke said it was “important for some players to get some minutes” and that he would “rotate a bit more than we would do perhaps for a league game,” while still aiming to pick a side capable of winning away to a Championship opponent. Reporting by FansNetwork notes that Farke has hinted at fielding a “fairly strong” team despite changes, suggesting a blend of regular starters and squad players is likely for the Pride Park encounter.
What recent context shapes Leeds United’s stance on the FA Cup and rotation?
Leeds travel to Derby on the back of a cruel defeat at Newcastle, where they conceded a late penalty and then a stoppage-time winner in a 4-3 loss, a result that underlined both the team’s attacking threat and defensive vulnerability, as described in coverage of the match referenced by local Leeds outlets. That contest capped a stretch of four league games in 10 days, contributing to Farke’s emphasis on managing workload and avoiding unnecessary injury risks in the cup.
Leeds United’s official build-up also highlights that Sunday’s game will be the club’s third away fixture of 2026 already, underscoring the travel demands on the squad. Farke warned that an away tie at a Championship side is “always not an easy task,” describing Derby as a difficult opponent in a competition where upsets are common, even as he reiterated that he wants Leeds to advance to the next round.
What are the implications of Daniel Farke’s approach for Leeds United’s season?
Farke’s stance suggests that Leeds will treat the FA Cup as an opportunity for momentum and squad involvement, but not at the expense of key players’ fitness or the broader fight to secure Premier League safety. Rotation against Derby is likely to give fringe players and those returning from limited minutes a chance to impress, while the core strategy remains focused on accumulating enough league points to avoid relegation.
If Leeds manage to balance progression in the FA Cup with a healthy and competitive league squad, the tie at Pride Park could serve both as a test of depth and a springboard into the latter stages of the season. However, Farke’s repeated insistence that no player will be risked underlines that any long cup run will be pursued carefully, with survival at the top level firmly at the centre of the club’s planning.
