Something for the weekend? FA Cup thrills for Leeds United, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday | Rotherham United and York City face crunch times

THE MAGIC of the FA Cup takes centre stage this weekend for the aspiring White Rose trio of Leeds United, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday, who all head west - while back in the Broad Acres, there's some serious league business to attend to.
Rival managers Carlos Carvalhal and Steve Bruce see their teams in FA Cup action this weekend - will either Sheffield Wednesdat or Hull City make it through to the fifth round?Rival managers Carlos Carvalhal and Steve Bruce see their teams in FA Cup action this weekend - will either Sheffield Wednesdat or Hull City make it through to the fifth round?
Rival managers Carlos Carvalhal and Steve Bruce see their teams in FA Cup action this weekend - will either Sheffield Wednesdat or Hull City make it through to the fifth round?

The Whites and the Tigers head across the M62 to neighbours Bolton Wanderers and Bury, respectively, for fourth-round appointments, while Wednesday make a first visit to Greenhous Meadow to face Micky Mellon’s Shrewsbury Town.

The bread and butter of league matters represents the serious business on hand for several more teams, most notably Rotherham United and York City, who face crunch home games.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers are afforded a breather, but Huddersfield Town, the Millers, Barnsley, Bradford City and York are in league action.

Leeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. .
 Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeLeeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. .
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Leeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. . Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Here are our five observations ahead of the weekend ...

1: Bolton Wanderers v Leeds United. Do it for the fans ...

With a play-off push pretty unlikely and the chances of being pitted into a relegation battle seeming remote, a cup run assumes high importance for Leeds, who are set to be backed by a vast travelling army of well over 6,500 at the Macron Stadium on Saturday. It should be some sight.

It will represent United’s biggest following since the mass turnout at Blackburn in a 6,839 following for a league game in November, 2013.

Leeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. .
 Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeLeeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. .
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Leeds United will face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend. . Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

A good day out, allied to a good result, is the very least that United’s followers deserve after showing unstinting support through thin and thin for the most part in recent seasons.

2: Bury v Hull City. The perfect scenario for Steve Bruce.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The cup is very much second fiddle for Bruce set against the priority of rubber-stamping promotion. But with a number of players craving first-team opportunities in a squad which looks strong and fit for purpose in the run home to the end of the season, Bruce can give them that - while at the same time resting some of his main men. Hull have the armoury to joust on two fronts.

Bruce’s pragmatic selection in the Capital One Cup run saw the club enjoy an uplifting run to the last eight and he has the resources to be able to mix and match again in the FA Cup - he has done exactly that in recent years.

For the likes of Tom Huddlestone, David Meyler, Sone Aluko, Chuba Akpom, Ryan Taylor and Shaun Maloney, the cup can represent a competitive chance to impress and stake a claim for league selection and put pressure on the incumbents. It’s a win-win for Bruce surely.

3: Shrewsbury Town v Sheffield Wednesday. After one uplifting cup run, you get greedy for another.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stellar victories over Arsenal and Newcastle United have certainly whetted the cup appetite of Wednesdayites, who will venture to Shropshire in hope.

The aforesaid wins in the Capital One Cup did much to put the Owls back on the map nationally and supporters will be keen for another helping or two to add to the positivity that is pervading throughout S6 in intoxicating fashion these days.

Carlos Carvalhal has already rotated his players successfully in the cups and expect more of the same. Wednesday’s squad depth allows them to do that. If the Shrews are tamed, the Owls are suddenly on the cusp of another feel-good cup run - with the Owls having considerable history in the world’s most enduring domestic cup competition.

4: Rotherham United v Charlton Athletic. A chance that the Millers simply cannot pass up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It is a big weekend for the Millers, who could move up to fifth from bottom, four points above the drop zone with victory over crisis club Charlton, who have shipped a combined 11 goals in dual away maulings already this month in Yorkshire - losing 5-0 and 6-0, respectively, at Huddersfield Town and Hull City.

Neil Redfearn’s troops need to be remorseless as they were against fellow strugglers Bolton on Boxing Day and Bristol City on November 28 - with the pair beaten 4-0 and 3-0. Win and the Millers are seven points clear of second-from-bottom Charlton. Lose and they are one point behind. Yes the stakes are high.

Discounting a couple of defeats, the Millers home form has been strong since early November and they have won four of their past six matches at the AESSEAL New York Stadium. That needs to continue.

5: York City v Stevenage. York need to find hope - or they will sink fast.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When you are down among the dead men, you grasp onto any positive you can get your hands on, with Luke Summerfield’s late leveller for the Minstermen at Carlisle United last weekend being exactly that - even though it was a game where they failed to accrue three points again in a 1-1 draw at Brunton Park.

Put simply, York must start winning regularly at home to have any chance of staying up. Especially against the likes of Stevenage, in 19th spot in the table.

Three of York’s next four fixtures are on home soil - five out of their next seven if you look at things in a monthly context. If the Minstermen do not get a tidy quota of wins, they are in danger of being doomed.