Leeds United head to West Ham United on Sunday knowing they will have to buck a very poor recent trend to qualify for the FA Cup fourth round.
The Whites have struggled massively in this competition in recent seasons, losing eight of their last 11 third round ties.
And while their clash with West Ham will prove to be a stern test, it is results against lower league sides which have caused Leeds embarrassment over the years.
Leeds have been knocked out by sides in divisions below them on four occasions, although one of those did come in the fourth round.
That did not make it any less humiliating for Leeds, though, as they were dumped out by then National League side Sutton United.
But arguably their most disappointing FA Cup exit came last season. With Leeds comfortably sitting mid-table in the Premier League, a run in English football’s oldest competition looked a real possibility.
A strong side including the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk and Rodrigo Moreno was named, however Marcelo Bielsa’s side were battered 3-0 by League Two outfit Crawley Town.
It is now five years since Leeds were last victorious in the FA Cup, when goals from Stuart Dallas and Alex Mowatt earned them a hard-fought 2-1 win at Cambridge United.
On paper, this looks like it will be one of Leeds’ toughest third-round ties in recent years, although three away trips to Arsenal also stakes a claim for that tag.
However, with West Ham fighting hard for a place in the top four and given that they have already secured a place in the last-16 of the Europa League, they may put success in this competition as a lower priority.
If Leeds name a strong side, it could finally be the year where a cup run is kick-started.
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