Daniel Farke speaks about the possible signing of David de Gea in his post-match interview

Daniel Farke speaks about the possible signing of David de Gea in his post-match interview

Leeds United secured their place in the FA Cup fourth round with a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Derby County at Pride Park Stadium on January 11, 2026. The Premier League side overcame a tricky first half, trailing 1-0 at the break after Joel Piroe missed a penalty and Ben Brereton Díaz gave the Championship hosts the lead against the run of play.

Daniel Farke, who made eight changes to his lineup following a recent defeat to Newcastle, praised his team’s resilience and quality in the second half. Wilfried Gnonto equalized in the 55th minute with a powerful strike, Ao Tanaka put Leeds ahead shortly after with a clinical finish, and substitute James Justin sealed the win with a late breakaway goal in added time.

In his post-match interview, Farke expressed delight with the performance and squad depth. “Our quality was shining through and we had the game under control after the early hiccup,” he said, highlighting the second-half turnaround. He emphasized his love for cup competitions: “I’m a big believer in cup competitions… We want to go as far as possible in the FA Cup. Otherwise I would have sent a different squad today.” Farke described the win as potentially “the start of an FA Cup fairytale” for Leeds, while staying grounded: “We’re not favourites to win this competition, but if cup competitions are made for fairy tales, we want to be involved.”

On the ongoing goalkeeper situation amid transfer speculation, including links to David de Gea, Farke reiterated a pragmatic stance similar to recent comments. He noted the club is monitoring the market but shifted focus to current options like Karl Darlow, who started in goal, and the squad’s present strengths.

The result extends Leeds’ strong record against Derby in the FA Cup and boosts momentum ahead of their next Premier League clash with Fulham. Fans will hope this cup progress signals more silverware dreams under Farke.