Leeds United goalkeeper Lucas Perri is expected to get the nod for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final in a season that has had its share of downs as well as ups.

Every player who comes to the Premier League needs time to adapt but Perri's introduction to English football has been more complicated than he would have liked. The big Brazilian joined Leeds with a pre-existing injury that disrupted his preparations for the top flight campaign. Then he picked up another problem and missed four games before returning to the bench against Burnley. Once returned to the sticks, Perri played a run of 13 straight Premier League fixtures until high profile errors in the games against Manchester United and Newcastle United - both of which were publicly criticised by his manager Daniel Farke. He hasn't played a league game since, with Karl Darlow assuming the responsibility for keeping goal.

But the FA Cup has handed Perri a chance to redeem the season and he has grasped it tightly in his huge paws. A pair of saves in the penalty shootout at Birmingham City were followed by a clean sheet against Norwich City. Perri came up big in the penalty shootout at West Ham United too, saving twice. And having been made Leeds' de facto FA Cup keeper, Perri is expected to get the nod again for Wembley this weekend. When asked on Thursday, Farke refused to name his starting stopper but hinted heavily that the answer was found in the previous rounds.

Perri can hardly describe this as an ideal first season at Elland Road but he too is part of the feelgood factor of the FA Cup run and a dressing room that has been buoyed by their league form.

"It's been a couple good couple of matches [in the FA Cup]," he said. "I'm happy to help the team with the opportunities that I've got and we're looking forward to the semi-final of course. I mean, for me, it's always good to help the team. As a whole, for the club, reaching the semi-final is an incredible achievement. We're having an incredible season. I believe this as a whole, it's a great opportunity for the club to be back in the semi-final after a period. So in general, it's a good feeling."

The 28-year-old recalls watching the FA Cup final as a youngster and has likened walking out at Wembley to playing at Brazil's famous Maracana, but he insists that such a special occasion does not require a special kind of preparation. And he believes that a special outcome is possible.

"The normal processes, working during the week, having the same structure of training and keeping the same processes," he said.

"It will be incredible for the club and we're looking for it. We're going to have a difficult match, but we can do it. Everything's possible in football, so we have to believe. And this journey in the cup has been incredible. We're close to achieving our goals for the season. We're not done yet, but we're in a very good place, so it's a good environment."