Leeds United vs Harrogate Town analysis: Five key battles and score prediction
The top two divisions enter the FA Cup this weekend as Harrogate Town make the short trip to face Leeds United in what will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the two sides.
It is a second consecutive Yorkshire derby for Leeds after the Whites played out a 3-3 draw with Hull City in the last round of league action.
Currently, 68 places separate Leeds and Harrogate on the English football pyramid, but – as always – anything is possible when it comes to the magic of the FA Cup.
Sports News Blitz writer Samuel Leasley considers five key battles ahead of Saturday’s game at Elland Road and offers a score prediction.
Daniel Farke vs Simon Weaver
Farke will be incredibly frustrated after his side dropped two more points in surrendering a late 3-1 lead at Hull City last weekend.
The result cuts their lead at the top of the Championship table to a single point and leaves little room for error going forward.
On Saturday, the introduction of the FA Cup to Leeds’ fixture list offers Farke a rare chance to rotate and perhaps give some under-pressure players a much-needed rest.
Weaver, in contrast, saw his team pick up a valuable three points in the League Two relegation battle as Jack Muldoon and Josh March provided the goals to beat Barrow.
Harrogate are now five points clear of the drop zone, albeit having played a game more than 23rd-placed Morecambe.
Despite their patchy league form, the Sulphurites have matched their all-time best FA Cup run by reaching the third round and will see their trip to Elland Road as a free hit against a financially superior opposition.
No matter the result, Weaver and his Harrogate players can hold their heads high after defying the odds to reach this stage of the competition.
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Mateo Joseph vs James Belshaw
With rotation expected for Leeds, Joseph is likely to be installed as the leading man against Harrogate.
It was in the FA Cup that Joseph first made his mark in a Whites shirt as he scored a wonderful brace at Stamford Bridge in last season’s fourth round.
The Spaniard has seen his playing time limited in recent weeks due to the form of Joel Piroe and has moreover not found the net since the win over Sheffield United in October.
He has nevertheless notched two goals and three assists so far this term and will be keen to make a good impression on Farke come the weekend.
A man who will no doubt be kept busy by Joseph and the rest of the Leeds attack at Elland Road is Belshaw.
Having made 180 appearances for Harrogate in a successful first spell with the club that included an FA Trophy triumph, Belshaw returned to the Yorkshire outfit in January 2024.
Saturday marks his 50th appearance since retracing his steps to the Exercise Stadium.
The Englishman has five clean sheets to his name this season and was named man of the match for his efforts against Barrow.
That said, Belshaw will need to be on top form to keep the Championship’s top scorers at bay, especially at a venue where Leeds are unbeaten in ten.
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Ethan Ampadu vs Josh March
Ampadu finally appears to have returned to full fitness following a lengthy period on the sidelines and will likely retain his position in the squad for this fixture.
And while his only two goals for Leeds actually came at this stage of the competition last season, against Peterborough at London Road, the Welshman’s focus this time around is sure to be on claiming a clean sheet.
In his 11 starts this season, Ampadu has made 18 successful tackles, the third-most at the club, and provided 10 interceptions.
The Leeds captain is also a reliable figure when retaining possession and distributing the ball as he has accumulated a passing accuracy of 88% from defensive midfield.
On Saturday, Ampadu will have to deal with March, Harrogate’s top scorer this season with four goals.
That tally includes two goals in the last three fixtures.
Additionally, March has racked up more shots, more shots on target, and a higher xG per 90 than anyone else in the Harrogate squad.
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Karl Darlow vs Jack Muldoon
Debate over who should be Leeds’ first-choice goalkeeper has intensified of late.
Illan Meslier made yet another high-profile mistake at Hull, dropping a routine catch at the feet of Joao Pedro who duly sparked a Tigers comeback.
So, while Darlow is likely to start against Harrogate thanks to rotation, many will be keeping a close eye on the former Newcastle man’s performance to see if his presence in the starting XI should be made more regular.
Darlow’s sole appearance this season was in a first-round Carabao Cup defeat to Middlesbrough, and the Welsh international has yet to keep a clean sheet for the Whites in five outings.
The man most likely to exploit the Leeds back-up ‘keeper at Elland Road is Muldoon.
With 315 appearances for the club across almost seven years and having been part of the squad since the National League days, Muldoon is a Harrogate legend.
He provided a goal and an assist at Barrow last week and kick-started Harrogate’s FA Cup campaign with the winner against Wrexham in the first round.
After already dumped one big name out of the cup, Muldoon will be looking to grab another scalp against a Leeds side that has faltered defensively in their last two fixtures.
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Josuha Guilavogui vs Stephen Duke-McKenna
Since arriving from Mainz 05 in the off-season, Guilavogui has quickly endeared himself to the Leeds faithful due to his enthusiastic appearances in goal celebrations and all-round positive attitude.
The Frenchman was signed on a short-term deal following injuries to Ilja Gruev and Ampadu, and he has proved a solid option off the bench.
It is possible that Farke grants Guilavogui his first start on Saturday in the holding midfield spot often occupied by Ao Tanaka, the same position in which he made a name for himself at Wolfsburg.
During his limited time on the pitch, Guilavogui has accumulated a passing accuracy of 89% alongside making four successful tackles.
Should Harrogate decide to operate with an attacking midfielder, the biggest threat to Guilavogui will be Duke-McKenna.
The Guyanese international has been a regular target for opposition defenders and midfielders as he has won a staggering 44 fouls in just 12 starts.
Whether operating in a wide area or as a number 10, Duke-McKenna is known for driving forward with the ball and laying on chances for the Harrogate attacking line.
In that role, he has created 16 chances in League Two this season and further averages two successful dribbles per game.
Summary
Regardless of the scoreline, this fixture will be an incredible occasion for Harrogate players and fans alike. There will no doubt be a nice financial reward for the fourth-tier club too.
Even with mass rotation, however, Leeds should still have more than enough firepower to turn over the Sulphurites and progress on to the fourth round.
Score prediction: Leeds United 3-0 Harrogate Town
