Key events
71 min: Osman does well to make his way into the box before shooting and the ball deflects behind for a corner. The set piece is taken but flies over the face of goal and bends behind for a goal kick.
68 min: Another two changes for Leeds as Brenden Aaronson replaces Gnonto and Nmecha makes way for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
67 min: Stansfield is down holding his face after appearing to accidentally collide with the boot of his team-mate while on the ground. It looks painful, but he should be able to continue.
65 min: Allsop takes a risk by inviting pressure while taking his time following a pass-back. Leeds can almost capitalise but the Birmingham defence can eventually clear the danger.
62 min: Birmingham have had a few good chances to go level here. This match is still very open.
59 min: Osayi-Samuel sends a brilliant pass through to Vicente on the right. The winger looks to cross it in to Priske, but Bornauw gets back to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle.
58 min: Vicente makes a run down the right with the ball before looking to cross, but Longstaff gets back to deflect it behind for a corner.
56 min: Bornauw is being checked over by medics following a collision in the box. He is on his feet but looks in quite a bit of pain.
53 min: Leeds look for a second as Ampadu launches a long throw into the box. It is headed away, but only as far as Tanaka, who attempts the volley towards goal. The effort is blocked and Birmingham can make the clearance.
50 min: Okafor takes the ball well in midfield before making a run forward. He sets it to Nmecha on his left, who unleashes a powerful shot which flies straight into the bottom-left corner!
GOAL! Birmingham City 0-1 Leeds United (Lukas Nmecha, 49)
Nmecha breaks the deadlock! What a start to the second half from the Premier League side!
46 min: Birmingham also made a change at the break, with Ibrahim Osman on for Gray.
Kick-off: Birmingham City 0-0 Leeds United
We’re back under way!
As expected, Leeds have made a change with Ethan Ampadu replacing Buonanotte.
Daniel Farke will surely want to make some changes at half-time or soon after the break. Leeds just have not been good enough. They do have several players on the bench who could make a difference, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Justin Kavanagh has messaged in to say:
“To paraphrase their marvellously down-to-earth manager, Leeds have been a bit coffee and cake today. They’d want to wake up and find their fire beast.”
Half-time: Birmingham City 0-0 Leeds United
It’s all level at the break. Birmingham should be quite happy with that first-half performance. Daniel Farke, meanwhile, will surely be disappointed.
45+1 min: Just the one minute to be added on.
45 min: Leeds have a corner. Longstaff delivers it into the box but none of his team-mates go for it. Instead, Birmingham can clear it with ease.
42 min: Vicente receives a yellow card for simulation after going to ground in the box. A great decision by the referee.
40 min: Another big chance for Birmingham as Gray makes his way into the box before shooting, forcing a strong save from Perri. The Leeds goalkeeper is doing a brilliant job to keep his team in this.
37 min: Birmingham are piling the pressure on with less than 10 minutes of this first half left to play. They are very high up the pitch in search of the opener. Leeds are not really doing anything creative when they win back possession.
34 min: A deep cross is sent into the box by Gray from the left. Osayi-Samuel runs in at the back post to go for goal but can’t get contact on the ball.
33 min: Vicente receives the ball on the right and drives forward before sending a cross into the box. Perri does not hesitate when coming off his line to claim it.
31 min: In plenty of space, Longstaff attempts an audacious shot from distance, forcing a low save from Allsop. Nothing comes of the subsequent corner.
30 mins: Solís is shown the first yellow card of the match for a pull on Gudmundsson before kicking the ball away.
27 min: A great ball is sent over to Gnonto on the right. The winger looks to cross it into the box, but his pass takes a big deflection, loops upwards, and forces Allsop into a slightly awkward catch which he manages to take with ease.
25 min: Gudmundsson sets himself up to take the long throw, but none of his team-mates can bring the ball down in the box and Stansfield clears it.
21 min: Leeds have been very passive so far. Aside from that corner in the opening five minutes they have not really threatened at all.
18 min: Birmingham have certainly had the better chances in these early stages. They look the team most likely to score.
16 min: Chance for Birmingham as a corner is sent into the box. Doyle heads it towards goal but Gray gets in his way and blocks the effort! Leeds can eventually clear.
13 min: There is a minute of applause from the Birmingham fans and players in support of Tom Wagner, who is currently recovering from a stroke.
11 min: Huge chance for Birmingham as the ball drops to Stansfield on the edge of the box. He takes a touch before unleashing a powerful volley, which is tipped onto the post by the fingertips of Perri. What a save!
9 min: Birmingham have managed to get themselves in some good positions so far, but Leeds are starting to see a bit more of the ball.
6 min: Birmingham go on the attack as Gray attempts a shot from distance. It takes a deflection and loops upwards. Stansfield brings the ball down with a great first touch, putting it into a dangerous area, but nobody is there to get the shot away.
4 min: Birmingham have a corner now as the ball is sent over to the back post. Solís makes a late run and attempts the volley, but his effort bounces off the side netting.
3 min: Okafor receives the ball out on the left and makes a run deep into the box before cutting inside, but Klarer sticks a boot out to send it behind for a corner.
Nothing comes of the set piece and Birmingham have a goal kick.
2 min: Both teams have seen a bit of possession so far, with Birmingham looking to press high when Leeds have it at the back.
Kick-off
We’re under way in Birmingham!
The teams are out. The atmosphere at St. Andrew’s is incredible. Kick-off is just a few moments away!
Elsewhere in the FA Cup today
Match officials
There is no VAR in the FA Cup fourth round this season.
Birmingham manager Chris Davies believes his team can cause a huge upset this afternoon. Speaking ahead of the match, he said: “I am sure the general consensus would be a Premier League team like Leeds would be expected to progress against Championship opposition.
“But we are at home, we’ve got a team in Leeds who I have been watching closely and I have enjoyed watching closely in the last week because I think they have really held their own in the Premier League this season.
“They are bucking that trend by the looks of it of teams going up and coming straight back down, there’s a lot to be said for that. I think they are obviously a very well organised outfit but they have been holding their own games.
“I watched the Chelsea game in detail, I watched the Everton game when it was on TV, they are a very good team and for us to test ourselves against a team like that is exactly what I think we want right now.
“Every week is a test in the Championship but just what the Premier League is is it’s the pace of the game, the physical speed of the players but also the perceptive speed, how quickly they think, react, how quickly the ball moves, and I think that’s something that our players are really excited about testing themselves within.”
Speaking ahead of the match, Leeds manager Daniel Farke said: “Each and every game is a chance to shine. For every player, this is a chance to make a good impression and be back in the good books and to have chances to be involved in each of the upcoming games.
“It is a club with lots of potential and they are ambitious. But the Championship is tough; many teams are ambitious. They have good momentum at the moment, you have to say really good performances. I like their group of players, quality. They are just one point out of the playoffs and are on a good run of form.
“It is a tough place to go because they will focus on this game against a Premier League side. I expect a full packed stadium, good atmosphere. It will be difficult for us and we have to be at our very best.
“The league, to achieve survival, has priority. But we want to go into the next round and see how far we can go. I am a big believer in cup competitions.”
The biggest shock of the weekend so far came when Mansfield Town knocked out Burnley with a 2-1 win at Turf Moor yesterday. Louis Reed scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute to send the Stags through to the fifth round.
Yesterday’s FA Cup results
Burton Albion 0-1 West Ham
Norwich City 3-1 West Brom
Southampton 2-1 Leicester City
Burnley 1-2 Mansfield Town
Manchester City 2-0 Salford City
Aston Villa 1-3 Newcastle
Liverpool 3-0 Brighton
Birmingham announced earlier this week that club chairman Tom Wagner is recovering from a stroke. The 56-year-old has therefore stepped back from his duties at St Andrew’s for the foreseeable future.
Blues manager Chris Davies shared his support for Wagner during his pre-match press conference and insisted the team will do their best to get the win for him against Leeds today. He said: “We were shocked and very concerned to hear the news. Tom’s the driving force behind Knighthead and has obviously been a big part of it since I’ve been here.
“He’s someone I respect greatly and think a lot of. I said to the players that he’s pretty much brought every single player that’s here to the club as well. First thoughts go to him and his family in a very difficult situation because the football side pales into insignificance when you think of health and everything else.
“What I would say is that every update I’ve got is that he’s recovering very well and is very positive. He received quick treatment, which is critical in those situations and he’s improving. I know the people at Knighthead really well, I know Andrew Shanahan will be here for the game, Ara Cohen who is the co-founder will also be here. They have been very quick to get together and show that solidarity and I know we’ll do that as a club.”
Players will have TW13 on their shirts today as a way of showing support.
Team news
Birmingham City starting line-up: Ryan Allsop; Bright Osayi-Samuel, Christoph Klarer (C), Jonathan Panzo, Kai Wagner; Tommy Doyle, Jhon Solís, Carlos Vicente; Jay Stansfield, Demarai Gray, August Priske.
Subs: James Beadle, Brad Mayo, Billy Burrell, Phil Neumann, Zaid Betteka, Patrick Roberts, Kanya Fujimoto, Ibrahim Osman, Marvin Ducksch.
Leeds United starting line-up: Lucas Perri; James Justin, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw; Sean Longstaff, Ao Tanaka, Facundo Buonanotte; Wilfried Gnonto, Noah Okafor, Lukas Nmecha.
Subs: Karl Darlow, Jayden Bogle, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, Brenden Aaronson, Joël Piroe, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to coverage of the FA Cup fourth-round match between Birmingham City and Leeds United. It’s 10th in the Championship versus 15th in the Premier League today as Birmingham target an upset.
The hosts last made it to the fifth round in the 2019-20 season, where they lost to Leicester City after beating Coventry City on penalties. Meanwhile, Leeds made it to the next stage of the competition just two years ago by defeating Plymouth Argyle in a replay. They then went on to lose out to Chelsea.
Both teams will fancy themselves to win this one, so we should be in for a treat.
Kick-off is at 12pm GMT – join me!
