The FA Cup third round is a date that football fans mark on their calendars each season. Every year there is a surprise result or even a giant-killing and it often gives old rivals a chance to compete once more. On this day in 2010 Leeds, who had been out of the top flight since 2004, got the bragging right against their old enemy.
United, 11-time winners of the FA Cup to this point, had made it past the third round every year since 1984, when they were knocked out by Bournemouth. The visitors were in League One and, although top of the table at the time, were still 42 places below the Red Devils in the Football League ladder.
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The game had everything that a football supporter could want from a cup tie: drama, nerves, surprise and a fierce contest on the pitch. Both sides came into the game on form - United having recovered from a slow start in the Premier League and Leeds going 15 competitive games unbeaten. Even so, and even with no fewer than seven changes to Sir Alex Ferguson's lineup United should have won the game.
This was no smash-and-grab victory, either. Leeds, led by the effortless Jermaine Beckford up front, were well worthy of their win against a Red Devils team that included Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Danny Welbeck in the XI. United perhaps did not have their strongest defence out, but they would still have expected to be able to keep Beckford somewhat quiet.
Instead, the Leeds striker gave them the runaround for the entire game. It was Wes Brown who should have been keeping Beckford in check for the goal, but the striker ghosted into space to latch on to Johnny Howson's ball over the top before squeezing the ball past the advancing Tomas Kuszczak. The 9,000 travelling fans were in raptures after just 19 minutes, but could they hold on?
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Rather than defending the lead, Leeds could have doubled their advantage almost straight away, but Howson's cross was headed wide by Luciano Becchio. This chance, rather than the goal, was what seemed to spur on United and they came forward through Rooney, who clipped over Casper Ankergren but Jason Crowe was alert to make a fine goalline clearance.
United were in control of the ball but seriously lacking in genuine chances, as both Welbeck and Rooney put efforts wide from just outside the box. Ankergren was solid on the few occasions Ferguson's side got past the rigid Leeds defence, with his best save coming from Welbeck with 30 minutes to play.
Michael Owen came off the bench following the save but he too was unable to find the goal to take the contest to a replay. Indeed, he spurned a glorious chance having been found by Antonio Valencia, somehow managing to miss the target with the goal at his mercy. Leeds survived a couple of late goalmouth scrambles before the whistle blew on the biggest FA Cup shock of the round.
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Matt Domm
