17/02/2026

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Farke stays grounded Leeds boss won’t get carried away by dreams of cup glory L EEDS BOSS Daniel Farke said Nmecha’s second-half opener for the visitors. Farke, whose side reached the last 16 for the third time in five seasons, said: “We know that the recent history of this club is not great in the FA Cup, but we’re on a little run already and that’s quite good. crossbar, while substitute Ibrahim Osman hit a post in time added on before extra time. Farke added: “Really well done and congratulations first of all to Birmingham. They made this really difficult for us. Like we expected, a fan tastic home performance. You could feel this team is in red hot form. of the game after captain Ethan Ampadu had replaced Facundo Buonanotte at half-time and both sides continued to create chances in an end-to-end tie. Birmingham boss Chris Davies felt his side dominated large parts of the game and could not hide his disap pointment. Ű BY MARK WALKER

We were playing with a real fluidity, rhythm, aggression, and it was all there. We should have been up at half time. “But we kept going. When you go a goal down you’ve got to try and really dig in and we threw everything at it for the last 10 minutes (of normal time). We went for it. And thankfully we got our rewards.” When Osman’s low shot in added time struck a post, Kanya Fujimoto’s follow-up was brilliantly blocked by Leeds defender Jaka Bijol. Davies added: “Had that gone in we’d have won 2-1 and I don’t think there would be any complaints from anyone.” – The Independent Van Dijk hopes Salah remains at Anfield VIRGIL VAN DIJK said he “always” wants Mohamed Salah to stay at Liverpool amid questions if the winger will be at Anfield next season. Salah brought his future on Merseyside into doubt in December with an explosive interview when he accused the club of throwing him under the bus and breaking promises to him. But while he was then omitted from the squad for the Champions League game at Inter Milan, relations were repaired to the extent that he has started all seven games since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations. He scored and assisted in Saturday’s 3-0 FA Cup win over Brighton and has a further season on his contract, with Van Dijk hoping he remains at Anfield. He explained: “I always want Mo to stay because I’m a good friend of him and we’ve been through the highs and not-so-highs – I don’t want to call them lows – together for so many years. The same as me, he’s got one more year (on his current deal), so we will see. “I think Mo is still so important for us. Last week he had an assist again and broke another record and he is still the leader and important for me personally, as a captain, to have around and to have him on the pitch and his presence benefits the team. He also has to just keep going.” Salah’s goal against Brighton was just his second in his last 13 appearances for Liverpool but Van Dijk added: “He always gives the team more than goals. “There’s obviously a lot of focus on his goals at the moment and that’s also part of his life because he puts the standards so extremely high when he doesn’t score as much he gets criticised. “He has to stay calm and try to be important with everything he still can do and there is so much still he is important for us on and off the pitch. “Let’s see for the rest of the season how important he still is and can be and the rest of the team will hopefully be successful but there is still a long way to go.” – The Independent Ű BY RICHARD JOLLY

it was “perhaps not realistic” to start dreaming of Wembley glory after his side survived an FA Cup fourth-round scare by beating Birmingham 4-2 on penalties. Sean Longstaff converted the win ning spot-kick at a fired-up St. Andrew’s after Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri had saved Tommy Doyle’s effort and Patrick Roberts blazed his over the crossbar. It was especially cruel on Roberts, who had stepped off the bench to send the tie into extra-time with a deserved 89th-minute equaliser after Lukas Edwards relieved as Wolves survive Grimsby mud bath WOLVES BOSS Rob Edwards described his side’s 1-0 FA Cup win at Grimsby as an “aggressive game of headers and volleys” as the Premier League club survived a mud bath. It was not pretty but Santiago Bueno’s second-half strike was enough for the Premier League strugglers to get past their League Two opponents in less than hospita ble surroundings. The Mariners had beaten Manchester United in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season and smelled more top-flight blood going into the fourth round tie. This would have been less of a scalp than their August win over United given Wolves’ problems this season, and the treacherous condi tions at Blundell Park were a definite leveller as the quagmire pitch made it impossible to play any quality foot ball. “It was all set up for a cup upset. Tactics were out of the window, it was a throwback,” Edwards said. “It was an eye-opener for a lot of them when we arrive, the wind was side ways and there were puddles on the pitch. “It was an aggressive game of headers and volleys. It was an inter esting game, really difficult condi tions, really challenging conditions, obviously for both teams. “It was a different type of game, a bit of a throwback and one that really we could only win by being professional today and doing it right. “It was an interesting day for some of our Brazilians that they won’t forget. We talked a lot in the last few days about mentality. “It’s great that they were able to do what they did against Manchester United earlier in the sea son because we used that to respect the opposition, the conditions, the game, the competition. To do things that were in our control, and do them well. That’s what we did.” Mariners boss David Artell says the pitch hindered his side’s chances. “A traditional old school FA Cup tie, wasn’t it?” he said. “I don’t want people think I’m making excuses, but it doesn’t allow for a game that we want to play.” – The Independent Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

“It’s perhaps not realistic to dream already about winning at Wembley. But I’m believer in the cup competi tion. I like a proper cup run and, when ever there’s a chance to go into the next (round), we want to grab it with both hands.” Leeds rode out a first-half storm and then a late Blues fightback as Jay Stansfield’s volley was tipped on to the

He said: “I’m proud of them. I think we should be, because obviously there’s a tinge of frustration there as well. I think we should have been deserved winners, in terms of the over all chances in the match and how we played. I thought we should have probably won that. “I just liked how we were playing.

“I think eight games unbeaten in the league and of course the stadium was buzzing. Everyone was on it today. “But this will be great for the spirit within our group and the whole unity and togetherness. Each game you win, even the scruffy games, is good for the confidence.” Leeds wrestled back more control

Oxford’s Christ Makosso (top) tangles with Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor during yesterday’s FA Cup fourth-round match at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford. – AFPPIC

Le Bris hails Sunderland’s energy, ambition

Ű BY ROBERT O’CONNOR

Sunderland last reached the fifth round in 2015 during the previous spell in the top flight and had quar terfinal appearances in 2014 and 2012. Not since 2004, however, when they were beaten in the semifinal by Millwall have they enjoyed a Wembley date in the competition. Asked whether their strong Premier League form had set his team up for a cup run, Le Bris said: “We never know because we don’t know our next opponent. “We played here with out best team. We went strong, with a good energy, with ambition. We’ll see for the next round.” Asked whether he felt it was a correct call to penalise Makosso for the penalty, he said: “I didn’t review the situation. We need to trust the referee.” – The Independent

vociferously disagreed. Sunderland were beaten by Oxford in the second tier last season but have come a long way since that 2-0 loss in April. A comfortable mid-table position in the top flight meant Le Bris had a free hand to go with a strong line-up at the Kassam Stadium as his team moved a step closer to Wembley. “We expected a tough game,” he said. “We went there last season and struggled and lost 2-0. Direct play, second balls, the ability to fight around the drop zone. “It was one part of the game that was really important. We struggled a bit during the first half, but it was better during the second. “During the second half it’s always the case the game is a bit more open, you can create more, but we didn’t score the second goal.”

REGIS LE BRIS praised the energy and ambition of his Sunderland team after they won 1-0 away at Oxford to progress to the FA Cup fifth round. A penalty in the first half from Habib Diarra was sufficient to see off the Championship side but, despite a flurry of chances after the break, a second goal that would have given the result a fairer reflection never arrived. Indeed, the Premier League visi tors were possibly fortunate the penalty decision in the 32nd minute went their way, Dennis Cirkin going over in the box under a challenge by Christ Makosso. In the absence of VAR, the referee was forced go with his first look, a call with which the home supporters