Derby County star makes 'fiery' claim ahead of Leeds United FA Cup clash

Leeds United will be met by a ‘fiery atmosphere’ when they visit Championship club Derby County in the FA Cup third round on Sunday lunchtime.

That was the verdict of one of the players hoping to ensure the Whites’ cup run falls at the first hurdle when they take on the Rams at Pride Park. The historic element of the tie was widely discussed in the aftermath of last month’s draw and it would be safe to say the events of recent seasons have only added to the intrigue ahead of this weekend’s latest meeting of the two sides.

In a bizarre chapter in the recent history of both clubs, former Whites manager Marcelo Bielsa revealed he had sent Leeds staff to watch Derby’s training sessions before they met at Elland Road in 2019 and that only heightened the rivalry between the two clubs as they battled for promotion into the Premier League during the same season.

They have met over the last year as Leeds completed a league double over the Rams on their way to claiming the Championship title last season. Joe Rodon and Max Wober both found the net to help Daniel Farke’s side claim a 2-0 home win against the Rams in early December 2024 before Brenden Aaronson got the only goal of the game in the reverse fixture just three weeks later.

With all focus now on the latest instalment of a long-running story involving both clubs, Rams defender Callum Elder has praised Leeds for being a ‘standout team’ during their Championship-winning campaign but warned his side are looking forward to testing themselves against top flight opposition.

He told Australian news outlet nine.com: “It's an amazing fixture. We obviously played them last season. They were one of the standout teams in the Championship last season, fully deserved to get promoted. There's a bit of history between Derby and Leeds in more recent years, so I'm sure it will be a fiery atmosphere come that Sunday in January. So yeah, we're all looking forward to it. To test ourselves against a Premier League opposition is always a bonus."

What has Daniel Farke said about Derby County v Leeds United?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s tie with Derby, Farke spoke about the possibility Leeds winning the FA Cup this season and of the challenge posed by their Championship hosts.

He said: “Biggest dream is to make sure we stay in the Premier League, this has to be the priority. Don’t want to come across as over-ambitious, not realistic for us as a newly-promoted side to win the FA Cup but we have shown in one game, against one of the top sides we are capable of getting results. Also have to be respectful of an away game against Derby County, we know how difficult it is. I also found it really difficult to win against John Eustace in the Championship so the players have to help me a little bit.”

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