Leeds United vs Norwich City controversy guaranteed after FA announcement
The FA have confirmed that referee Darren England will take charge of Leeds United’s FA Cup fifth-round clash with Norwich City on Sunday.
Daniel Farke’s side welcome the Championship outfit to Elland Road with a quarter final spot up for grabs.
Leeds come into the tie aiming to bounce back after successive Premier League defeats against Manchester City and Sunderland, which have slowed their recent momentum.
The FA Cup has offered some respite for the Whites this season, though, with wins against Derby County and Birmingham City aiding in momentum.
However, the FA officiating announcement has added a layer of tension heading into the weekend.
Darren England confirmed as Leeds vs Norwich referee
As per the FA announcement, referee England is set to take charge of Sunday’s clash at Elland Road, and is likely to spark controversy.
Earlier this season, England faced criticism during Leeds’ clash with Chelsea after he opted not to send off youngster Estevao for kicking Gabriel Gudmundsson from behind, handing out a yellow card.
England has also been criticised in the past for his handling of Leeds fixtures, with former Whites defender Danny Mills labelling one of his performances in a 2020 clash with Millwall as “pathetic” and “embarrassing”, while a VAR-awarded penalty against Liam Cooper sparked controversy in 2021.
Leeds United hoping FA Cup can restore momentum
For Farke, this weekend’s cup tie arrives at an important moment in the season.
Back-to-back defeats have slightly dented the confidence built during Leeds’ strong run of form, and a positive result against Norwich would provide a timely lift as the Whites look to secure their Premier League safety alongside a cup pathway.
Leeds have done well to get where they are, with multiple sides splitting themselves and the relegation zone.
And with a run of fixtures including Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City across the last month, they are not the ones having to claw back points to escape.
Momentum from here on in will be crucial, and Leeds have a fantastic opportunity to gain some this weekend.
And to top it off, a spot in the FA Cup quarter finals and a stab at Wembley is something that no side in the division can turn down.
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