Birmingham vs Leeds United: FA Cup fourth-round clash at St Andrew’s as Blues chase shock
St Andrew’s, 7: 00 AM ET — Birmingham City welcome Leeds United in an FA Cup fourth-round tie that pits Championship ambition against Premier League resilience. The hosts are hoping a strong run of form at home and a rallying rally behind their chairman can deliver a cup upset, while Leeds arrive with attacking threats who have been finding form on the road.
Team news and confirmed line‑ups
Birmingham manager Chris Davies has paid tribute to club chairman Tom Wagner, who is recovering from a stroke and has stepped back from duties. Players will show their support by wearing TW13 on their shirts for the tie, a visible message of solidarity ahead of the match.
The hosts line up with:
Birmingham City (starting XI): Ryan Allsop; Bright Osayi-Samuel, Christoph Klarer (captain), Jonathan Panzo, Kai Wagner; Tommy Doyle, Jhon Solís, Carlos Vicente; Jay Stansfield, Demarai Gray, August Priske.
Subs include James Beadle, Brad Mayo, Billy Burrell, Phil Neumann, Zaid Betteka, Patrick Roberts, Kanya Fujimoto, Ibrahim Osman and Marvin Ducksch.
Leeds manager has named a strong side that mixes youth and experience:
Leeds United (starting XI): Lucas Perri; James Justin, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw; Sean Longstaff, Ao Tanaka, Facundo Buonanotte; Wilfried Gnonto, Noah Okofor, Lukas Nmecha.
Subs include Karl Darlow, Jayden Bogle, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, Brenden Aaronson, Joël Piroe and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Context — form, stakes and key players
Birmingham head into the tie buoyed by a strong sequence of home results and a broader run of positive form in recent weeks. The Blues have been unbeaten in a number of matches across cup and league duties and have shown they can be hard to beat at St Andrew’s, where home form has been a notable asset this season.
Leeds, operating in the top flight, arrive sitting in the lower mid-table but with momentum from recent performances. Two forwards in particular, Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okofor, have been registering goals and add a clear threat to Birmingham’s backline. Leeds also showed character in coming back to take points on the road in the league, underlining their ability to compete away from home.
Watch for Demarai Gray potentially starting for Birmingham after a recent return from injury; his experience and directness can unsettle Premier League backlines. For Leeds, Buonanotte’s creativity and the pace of Gnonto and Okofor could be decisive in quick transitions.
Cup rules, the human angle and what to expect
This fourth-round tie follows competition rules that remove replays: if the match is level after 90 minutes there will be 30 minutes of extra time, and if still undecided the tie will go to a penalty shootout. There is no video assistant referee at this stage of the competition, meaning match officials’ on-field decisions will stand without VAR review.
Beyond tactics and personnel, the game carries a strong human element. The club’s public backing for their chairman is likely to be a motivating factor for the players and supporters, giving the fixture added emotional weight. Birmingham fans have not tasted top-flight football for some years and will be keen to see their side produce a giant-killing performance on a big domestic stage.
Expect a competitive, tight encounter: Birmingham will lean on home intensity and defensive organisation, while Leeds will probe with quick ball carriers and look to exploit spaces in transition. If the tie becomes stretched late on, fitness, substitutions and composure from both sides could determine who progresses to the fifth round.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7: 00 AM ET at St Andrew’s. The outcome will hinge on whether the Blues can combine passion and structure to unsettle a Premier League outfit accustomed to operating at a faster tempo.
