Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Wed 8 April 2026 8:10, UK

Noah Okafor showed Leeds United what they have been missing in recent weeks in their FA Cup win over West Ham.

Leeds advanced to their first FA Cup semi-final in 39 years, thanks to a 4-2 penalty shootout win after the game ended 2-2 in extra time.

Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked to have secured Leeds’ passage into the last four, only for Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi to score in the 93rd and 96th minute, respectively.

The Hammers had two goals ruled out for offside in extra time, and just when it looked like Daniel Farke‘s team would crack under the pressure, they dug out a shootout triumph.

Before facing Chelsea at Wembley, Leeds take on bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford next Monday, in a game where Okafor could be key.

Noah Okafor provides something Leeds lack

Calvert-Lewin provides aerial prowess in Leeds’ attack, while fellow forward Lukas Nmecha can add a bit of unpredictability and a clinical edge in front of goal.

Anton Stach offers a big threat from set-pieces, and Brenden Aaronson has shown he can have dangerous spells in short bursts. But ultimately, without winger Dan James, Leeds’ attack doesn’t have a huge amount of pace.

However, summer signing and Swiss international Okafor has that in spades. This season, the 25-year-old has hit speeds in excess of 32kph (19.8mph), although he doesn’t make the top 10 for quickest Premier League players this season.

According to the Premier League, Leeds’ James makes the top 10 for top speed in kph at 36.13 versus Newcastle United last August, while Wolves’ Jackson Tchatchou has registered the two fastest sprints of the season so far (37.3kph and 36.97kph).

Okafor has the ability to breeze past a player with impressive speed, and that could prove handy against Champions League-chasing United. After returning from a hamstring injury, Okafor looked decent off the bench against Brentford and then impressed in the win over West Ham as a starter.

In his 69-minute outing, he created one big chance, when he set up Stach, forced Alphonse Areola into an excellent early save and won four ground duels.

While his possession lost stats per game are quite high at 8.9 this season, Okafor can stretch an opposition defence, as very few of his teammates can.

If he can recover from the cramps he suffered against West Ham, he could be a potent weapon for Leeds against Michael Carrick’s side.

Daniel Farke revels in return of confident Leeds

Prior to this match, Leeds had failed to score in their last four Premier League games. While they are still four points clear of the relegation zone, they need to start scoring and fast if they want to stay up.

Farke was delighted that Leeds were able to find their goalscoring touch again against a Premier League side, one of which came from open play.

And although Leeds lost Stach and Joe Rodon to injury, which could rule them out of the United game and beyond, the German thinks the fight Leeds showed will stand them in good stead for the relegation battle.

He told reporters, “We still have to win our points in the Premier League, but this will give us confidence and belief and how it feels to deal with pressure – and these experiences are priceless.

“As a manager, even if you are 2-0 up, you know in a split second the whole world can change. I never doubted my players and always believe in them. They had setbacks but found a way to celebrate.”