Derby County host Leeds United in a nostalgic third-round tie in 2025-26 FA Cup.
Victory would see Derby progress past this stage for the first time since 2022-23 season, whilst Leeds seek to progress past this stage for a fourth consecutive season.
Team News
Derby have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 2-1 home defeat to Wrexham in the Championship.
Max Johnston (hamstring), David Ozoh (thigh) and Carlton Morris (ankle) remain absent.
Leeds could be without Sam Byram due to a minor back injury, which saw him limited to the substitutes bench in their 4-3 defeat at Newcastle in the Premier League.
Joe Rodon (fatigue), Jayden Bogle (calf) and Brenden Aaronson (cramp) are set to be available.
Dan James (hamstring) remains absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Derby host Leeds at Pride Park on Sunday 11 January at 12pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 2 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Derby have won just one of six meetings against Leeds across five individual FA Cup ties (W1, D1, L4), with their very first tie in this competition having been won 3-1 at home in a replay at this stage in January 1962 after a 2-2 draw at Elland Road.
- Leeds have won three of their four previous FA Cup visits to Derby (W3, L1).
- This is Derby’s first FA Cup meeting against Leeds to be played at Pride Park, with the four previous clashes having been held at the Rams’ former home, Baseball Ground.
- Derby have won just one of their last six meetings against top-flight opposition across four individual ties (W1, D2, L3), during which their third-round tie against Southampton in 2018-19 season ended in 2-2 draw across both initial clash and replay which the Rams won on penalties.
- Leeds have won three of their last five away ties in the FA Cup (W3, L2).
Prediction
With one win in their last six home matches and still in the Championship Play-Offs hunt, it will be interesting to see how Derby approach this because this is a winnable tie if they approach this properly but they will need to cut out their defensive errors with just two clean sheets in 14 games.
Leeds meanwhile have an eight-point gap to the Premier League’s relegation zone and given the quality of those in the bottom three, they can afford to try and go on a cup run but they need to put their dramatic defeat at Newcastle behind them and atone for their sloppy defensive mistakes.
Either way both defences aren’t exactly the strongest and Leeds will probably rotate but I do think that they will somehow have enough quality to edge this tricky away tie.
Prediction: Derby 1-2 Leeds
Result: Derby 1-3 Leeds