(Credit Imago)

James Barker

Mon 6 April 2026 12:40, UK

Ao Tanaka sent a clear starting XI message to Daniel Farke with a superb performance in Leeds United‘s FA Cup quarter-final win over West Ham.

The 27-year-old made his first Leeds start on Easter Sunday since the Whites’ fifth-round win over Norwich City back on 8 March.

Indeed, the Japanese international has found starting opportunities difficult to come by this season, with just seven Premier League starts under his belt so far in 2025-26.

After playing such a pivotal role in Leeds’ Championship title-winning campaign of last term, this has come as a surprise to many supporters, with him clearly falling victim to numerous new additions to the engine room this year.

However, his performance in Leeds’ win over West Ham was one to savour, and it told Farke exactly where he belongs at Elland Road: on the pitch.

How good were Ao Tanaka’s Leeds stats vs West Ham?

Tanaka is facing an uncertain future at Leeds, with the middle of the park probably being Farke’s strongest and deepest department, albeit that’s been weakened significantly thanks to Anton Stach’s injury.

Stach, Ilia Gruev, Brenden Aaronson, Facundo Buonanotte, Ilia Gruev, Sean Longstaff and Ethan Ampadu: Farke really is spoilt for choice in midfield.

Because of this, whenever your name is called, you simply have to make the most of it, and Tanaka certainly did that at the London Stadium.

Replaced after 69 minutes for Gruev, he didn’t need extra-time or penalties to make his mark on the game, with his superb piece of footwork before his goal showing just how much quality he has.

As per Sofascore, Tanaka registered a pass success rate of 91 per cent, whilst also completing 94 per cent of his passes accurately inside his own half.

He also took 60 touches, made 15 carries with the ball, won three of his four tackles, blocked one shot, made five recoveries and won five of his eight ground duels respectively.

Overall, he made a massive impact on the game despite being on for what turned out to be little over half of it, and outside of goalkeeper Lucas Perri, was probably Leeds’ best player on the pitch.

Tanaka must grab Stach injury fortune with both hands

As aforementioned, Stach suffered an injury against West Ham that forced him to be withdrawn in the first half, and Farke has confirmed that it’s a ligament problem.

We don’t yet know how long he’s going to be out for, but based on Stach’s Instagram post showing his ankle in the hours after the win, it’s clear it’s a nasty one.

Therefore, the German’s season could potentially be at risk now, and if that’s the case, then the moment of, albeit unwanted, fortune that Tanaka has been waiting for to reclaim his place in the Leeds XI will have arrived.

In the Whites’ other midfield options, Tanaka will find stern competition, but his display against West Ham must have resonated with Farke that he is his man to fill the Stach void.