Leeds are off to face champions after stunning defeat of Spurs

Goals from Luke Varney and Ross McCormack were enough to seal a stunning 2-1 win over Champions League hopefuls 
Tottenham Hotspur at a raucous Elland Road.

United’s reward came a couple of hours later when the draw pointed them towards Eastlands on the weekend of February 16-17.

Elsewhere in the last 16, Barnsley’s reward for beating Hull City at the KC Stadium on Saturday will be a trip to Milton Keynes Dons while Middlesbrough will host the winners of a replay between Chelsea and Brentford.

Huddersfield Town, meanwhile, will entertain Wigan Athletic at home if they can beat Leicester City in next month’s replay after the two sides drew 1-1 at the John Smith’s Stadium.

For Leeds, a fifth-round trip to the current Premier League champions continues an amazing run of big-name draws since 2009 that has seen the Yorkshire club twice paired with Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs plus handed League Cup clashes with Liverpool and Everton.

Yesterday’s victory over Spurs was the perfect fillip after a difficult week that had seen top scorer Luciano Becchio hand in a transfer request amid serious interest from clubs in China and Turkey.

The Argentinian was left out of the 18-man matchday squad to face Spurs as a result and he missed a stunning performance by the Yorkshire club that left their manager purring with delight.

Warnock said: “When you looked at the two team-sheets on paper, you don’t know how the hell we are going to get a kick let alone beat them.

“But you don’t win football games on paper. You win it on the field of play with a group of players who show desire. If you have got a good group and you are all in it together, you have got a hell of a chance.

“Spurs made changes, but it was still a strong team. And if you take Becchio and Paddy Kenny out of our team, then you would have to say that weakens us.

“But this is the FA Cup and we had a real go. I thought the spine of the team was fabulous.

“We have had a bit of negative press over some of our results lately, even though we have won six on the trot at home (in the league).

“In Leeds, the glass is always half empty. It is never half full, though that is probably a Yorkshire trait.

“If I am honest, I was a little bit disappointed at last week’s Bristol City game when the fans sarcastically applauded us for having a shot. That was out of order, especially as we won to make it six in a row at home.

“Plus, we are above Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves – all teams who came down last season and benefit from huge parachute payments. I felt we deserved a little bit more support, but that is life.

“The players showed what they were made of against Spurs. I told them what the team was going to be on Tuesday. I said, ‘If we have got to go through it then let’s go through it together’. What a wonderful response.”

Perhaps the biggest compliment that can be paid to United was that yesterday’s win was, on the balance of play, deserved. That it came without 19-goal Becchio made it all the more impressive.

Warnock admits that he does not know whether the 29-year-old will still be at Elland Road come the closing of the transfer window on Thursday night with four bids having now come in from abroad.

All have been rejected, much to the frustration of the Argentinian whose agent, Horacio Rossi, claimed over the weekend that Leeds’s offer of a new three-and-a-half year contract had been on the same terms as his existing deal, which has 18 months to run.

Leeds firmly reject that claim with the Yorkshire Post understanding that an unnamed Turkish club have intimated to Becchio’s representatives that the striker could treble his current £13,000-a-week pay packet with a move to the country.

Asked about the future of his top scorer in the wake of United’s Cup win, Warnock said: “We have had a few offers from abroad, and one or two enquiries from England without the clubs in question making an offer.

“We have not agreed a fee with anyone yet. I saw what his men put out (over the weekend) and it was a bit naughty saying that the new owners haven’t made enough effort.

“That is rubbish. He is already our top earner and we have offered him a three-and-a-half year deal on more money. So, let’s put that to bed. We have offered him a cracking contract and if we don’t sign a replacement then he can’t go anywhere, whether he likes it or not. But if we do then he’s quite welcome to go because you only want players who want to be here.”

Along with resolving Becchio’s future, Warnock is keen to bring in several new faces to try to breathe fresh life into United’s faltering Championship campaign.

He added: “I would imagine that the next three or four days will be busy, not just at our club.

“Players are looking to see what they can get and I am no different. I’d like two or three new faces in before Thursday. Whether you get them or not, the transfer window is scandalous. I don’t know why we have it, but we do. But I still want two or three in. Salem (Patel, United director) is here (in Leeds) all week and we are getting together (this morning). That is great for me and we will have to see what happens.”

Sheffield United went down 4-0 at Reading with Noel Hunt (six and 50), former Blade Mikele Leigertwood (40) and Garath McCleary (54) on target.

Middlesbrough’s win over Aldershot came in a game which came to life in the closing stages.

Danny Hylton’s 89th-minute goal appeared to have earned the League Two side a replay but Lukas Jutkiewicz added to his 83rd-minute effort with a last-minute winner for Boro.

Chris Dagnall’s goal 20 minutes from time decided a Yorkshire derby in Barnsley’s favour at Hull City.

Lee Novak’s 74th-minute penalty gave Huddersfield, under the leadership of caretaker manager Mark Lillis following the sacking of Simon Grayson, the lead against Championship rivals Leicester. However, Chris Wood earned a replay for the visitors with a goal eight minutes from time.

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Match report: Page 3.