Varney will tackle City with different approach

Luke Varney, scorer of the first goal in the last round of the FA Cup when Tottenham Hotspur were humbled at Elland Road, last played at Eastlands a little over two years ago when sporting the colours of Blackpool.

The Seasiders were in their first – and, to date, only – season in the Premier League and had finished 2010 with back-to-back wins over Stoke City and Sunderland to sit eighth ahead of the New Year’s Day trip to Manchester.

“I just hope things go better for me than my last visit,” recalled Varney ahead of United’s first appearance in the FA Cup fifth round for 10 years.

“I actually rugby tackled Yaya Toure to the ground so, if I am involved, I’ll make sure I don’t do that again.”

Varney smiles when reliving the memory, probably because Carlos Tevez missed the subsequent penalty.

Blackpool, though, could not be saved and eventually went down to Adam Johnson’s goal in front of more than 47,000 fans.

It was the first of 13 defeats the Lancashire club would suffer in the first five months of 2011 as they eventually succumbed to relegation, a 4-2 reverse at Manchester United on the final day providing the fatal blow.

For Varney, relegation meant a return to parent club Derby County, who subsequently sold him on to Portsmouth later that close season.

By last summer, the striker was on his way to Elland Road and he is eagerly looking forward to Leeds pitting their wits against the reigning champions.

He said: “The game will be tough. City are the Premier League champions and we would have preferred to play them at Elland Road.

“But it will still be a great occasion for the lads and the fans. And, as we saw in the fourth round, nothing can be ruled out.

“I really enjoyed the fourth round. I’ve been on the other end of an upset when at Crewe we lost to Telford. It isn’t nice.

“But what Oldham, Luton and so on did was great. Those wins were what the Cup is all about.

“I think they will also have proved to some Premier League managers that they just can’t afford to play their kids at places like Brentford and Oldham and still hope to go through. You have to put your full team out or risk paying the price.”

Steve Morison is available after injury kept him out of Norwich City’s FA Cup ties against Peterborough United and Luton Town last month.

Manager Neil Warnock may, however, opt to rest the striker with next week’s league match against Blackpool at Elland Road in mind.