Mauricio Pochettino hailed a “needed” victory as Chelsea bounced back from Sunday’s Carabao Cup final extra-time heartbreak to edge past Leeds and reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Conor Gallagher, who missed two glorious chances in the closing stages of normal time in the Wembley loss to Liverpool, came off the bench to hit the winner at Stamford Bridge as the Championship side were dispatched 3-2 to set up a last-eight meeting with Leicester.

Axel Disasi and Moises Caicedo combined to gift Mateo Joseph an eighth-minute opener but the Blues turned it around before half-time as Nicolas Jackson equalised and Raheem Sterling set up Mykhailo Mudryk to make it 2-1.

Leeds levelled just before the hour mark when Joseph headed home his second but Enzo Fernandez set up Gallagher to avoid extra-time and put Chelsea through.

“We needed this result,” said Pochettino. “It wasn’t a great performance. (Leeds) were a team full of confidence, a very strong team, they are doing fantastic in the Championship.

“It was tough for us, when you concede after a few minutes. But the character we showed after in this situation, it’s a thing to learn from the team. I’m so happy. We avoided extra-time. We’re in the quarter-final which was our objective.

“It’s always tough when you lose a final in extra-time. We had 72 hours or less to recover, it’s always difficult. The effort was massive and I say thank you to the players because they made a fantastic effort.”

Pochettino reiterated his rejection of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville’s jibe that Chelsea had “bottled” the Carabao Cup final against a Liverpool side bested by injuries.

“I cannot be angry about (Neville),” he said. “With all my love to Gary, it’s not fair to use this type of word for a team that is so brave, a club that always fights for big things.

“What can we do? Only with this type of performance show that we are brave and that we can win games. Nothing to say, only to keep moving.

“It’s not important for us. Because we know how we are and who we are, and how we behave. We know why we lost the game against Liverpool. It’s nothing to do with this.

“We know that we are brave and that we are working really hard, For us, it’s not an important comment.”

Leeds boss Daniel Farke reflected on a game that slipped away at the hands of clinical finishing from Chelsea.

“That second goal (from Mudryk), class finish,” he said. “The third goal, really good action of Gallagher.

“I’m disappointed because wherever we go, we want to win. I know it’s not realistic we will win the FA Cup, but I wanted to win this and go in the next round. We are a young side, without several key players.”

Chelsea survived an FA Cup scare as Conor Gallagher came off the bench to score a last-minute winner and seal a 3-2 victory over Leeds at Stamford Bridge.

The substitute lashed the ball past the visitors’ goalkeeper Illan Meslier to grab what had looked an unlikely victory for much of the game, never more so than when the Blues fell behind inside eight minutes to the first of two goals from Mateo Joseph.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side rallied and looked to have put their woeful start behind them when first Nicolas Jackson and then Mykhailo Mudryk netted to send them in 2-1 up at the break.

Leeds would not lie down easy though, and Joseph headed them level after evading Trevoh Chalobah at the far post on the hour mark.

The home support bubbled with disquiet, sensing another cup mishap after Sunday’s Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool.

Then came Gallagher’s late intervention to keep hopes of a Wembley return in May alive.

The opening 10 minutes were dominated by Leeds. They might have taken the lead when Daniel James found space on the edge of the box and acrobatically lobbed an effort wide.

It was a let-off for Chelsea, but they did not heed their good fortune. From the goal-kick, Axel Disasi played a short pass inside the penalty area that left Moises Caicedo vulnerable. Leeds snapped at his heels, dispossessing him, and the ball broke to Joseph, who cracked it past Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s defence pointed fingers.

The first mutterings of discontent among the home support started, but they were doused before they had time to take hold. Caicedo made partial amends for his earlier error, sliding a precise ball through that split Leeds’ defence. Into the space strode Jackson, and he placed it into Meslier’s bottom corner to ease Chelsea nerves.

Thereafter they settled, and deservedly took the lead after 37 minutes. Noni Madueke carried the ball up through midfield and poked it to Malo Gusto wide on the right. He fed Raheem Sterling, who crossed for Mudryk to cap the move with a delightful finish, glancing it with a deft right foot wide of the goalkeeper and in.

James skied one over the bar from six yards as Leeds threatened an instant reply. Jaidon Anthony went closer when he curled wide from outside the box, a reminder that a stiff challenge might await Chelsea in the second half.

Daniel Farke’s team had won nine in a row in the league. Here they went up against Premier League opponents with the courage and skill to suggest they would fare well should they return to the top flight, but their hosts were giving ample encouragement.

The equaliser was straight forward and entirely avoidable from Chelsea’s point of view. Anthony was given space on the right to assess options and size up a cross. Stealing away at the far post was Jospeh, and his marker Chalobah paid him little heed as he stepped outside the defender and nodded past an exposed Sanchez.

The murmurs of disapproval began again from the stands, though they were largely drowned out by the away fans’ vocal support. They deserved better than the heartbreak that came as the clock ticked over to 90 minutes.

Enzo Fernandez was the architect of the winner, darting infield and through the heart of the defence and finally finding the pass that Chelsea had craved throughout the half. Gallagher, with fresh legs from the bench, let the ball run across him and with a swing of his right boot lashed Chelsea into the quarter-finals.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke said the feelgood factor was more important than club records after three late goals sealed his side a 3-1 home win over promotion rivals Leicester.

Connor Roberts, Archie Gray and Patrick Bamford all struck for Leeds in the final 10 minutes after Wout Faes’ first-half header had given Championship leaders Leicester a deserved lead.

Farke’s side equalled a 92-year club record of nine straight league wins and extended their unbeaten run at Elland Road this season, while the German is the first Leeds manager to remain undefeated in his first 19 home games in charge.

The former Norwich boss, whose side have cut the gap on Leicester to six points after trailing them by 17 at the turn of the year, said: “It’s a great evening for everyone connected with Leeds United.

“To be there with a ninth win in a row, unbeaten here at Elland Road (this season) – there are many record-breaking statistics.

“But even more important is the feeling and the spirit. You could feel it in the celebrations of the whole stadium.

“You could see what it means to everyone connected with this club after some really tough years, many disappointments and days of suffering.

“To experience such a period when you feel everything is really united here – players, staff, supporters, the whole club.

“We’re delivering such performances and such results. It’s great and I’m delighted for our supporters. They can enjoy their weekend in a proper way, that’s for sure.”

Leicester had been good value for their slender lead after Faes headed in from a corner but were punished for some glaring misses and slipped to back-to-back league defeats.

Jannik Vestergaard’s second-half header went within a whisker of giving the Foxes a 2-0 lead when it hit a post and Patson Daka had an effort wrongly ruled out for offside.

Stephy Mavididi fired a fraction wide and Daka pulled another golden chance off target.

On the disallowed goal, Leicester boss Enzo Maresca said: “I didn’t watch to be honest, so I can’t say anything.

“But until the goal we conceded in the 80th minute, we dominated and controlled the game.

“We created many chances and at the end it was a matter of the chances that we missed.”

The Italian admitted his players reacted badly to conceding Leeds substitute Roberts’ equaliser.

“In the last 10 minutes, in this kind of game in this stadium, it’s easy when you concede a goal that you drop a little or mentally they are better than us,” he added.

“We feel bad because we dropped points, but at the same I feel very proud because we came here with the personality we showed.”

Leeds struck three late goals at a bouncing Elland Road to beat Leicester 3-1 and throw the Sky Bet Championship title race wide open.

Leicester appeared to be tightening their grip on top spot after Wout Faes’ first-half header, but Leeds hit back in a roaring finish with goals from Connor Roberts, Archie Gray and Patrick Bamford.

Daniel Farke’s side equalled a club-record nine straight league wins – set in 1931 – extending their unbeaten start to the year and closing the gap on leaders Leicester to six points.

The Foxes, who had been 17 points ahead of Leeds at the start of 2024, had been good value for their slender lead, but were punished for some glaring misses as they slipped to back-to-back league defeats.

Leicester were first to threaten through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low effort and went close again through a header from Patson Daka, whose fierce drive soon after forced Illan Meslier into a flying save.

Daka was involved again when Leicester took a 15th-minute lead, flicking on Dewsbury-Hall’s corner for the unmarked Faes to head home at the far post.

The Belgium defender’s third-ever goal for the Foxes was the first Leeds had conceded in six league matches and they set about making amends.

Joel Piroe headed wide, Willy Gnonto’s shot was blocked and Leicester centre-half Jannik Vestergaard brilliantly denied Crysencio Summerville a shooting chance in front of goal.

It was fast and furious as Leeds pinned Leicester back in search of an equaliser, but the visitors’ backline, bolted together by big Dane Vestergaard, held firm until half-time.

Georginio Rutter curled wide early in the second period and with Leeds committing men forward, Leicester were measured and incisive on the break.

The Foxes showed they were a step up from the opposition that Leeds had recently faced and it took another full-stretch save from Meslier to keep out Stephy Mavididi’s angled shot.

Vestergaard then headed Dewsbury-Hall’s corner against a post and Daka thought he had put his side 2-0 up, only for his follow-up effort to be ruled out for offside.

Mavididi raced on to Dewsbury-Hall’s slide-rule pass to shoot agonisingly wide before an increasingly frustrated home crowd was lifted by Summerville’s blocked shot.

Daka wasted a golden chance to double the Foxes’ lead in the 73rd minute when dragging his effort off-target after another rapier counter-attack.

Leeds were struggling to gain momentum as the game entered the final 15 minutes, repeatedly repelled by Leicester’s two walls of blue.

But the Whites turned the game on its head with two goals in three minutes.

Roberts, a 73rd-minute replacement for Junior Firpo, lashed home a rebound into the bottom corner after Rutter had been tackled inside the penalty area to equalise in the 80th minute.

And with Leeds fans still celebrating, Gray took possession on the edge of the box and fired home a left-footed effort, which wrong-footed goalkeeper Mads Hermansen after deflecting off Faes and nestling into the bottom corner.

Substitute Patrick Bamford wrapped up the points for Leeds, deflecting in  Daniel James’ sweetly-struck free-kick in stoppage time to leave Leicester shell-shocked.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke was delighted with his side’s maturity following a 2-0 Championship win at Plymouth.

Georginio Rutter set up Wilfried Gnonto’s 10th minute opener and then capped a comfortable away win with a thumping 72nd minute strike to secure three points and help United move to second on the back of an eight-match winning streak in the league.

Farke said: “I am a happy man first of all because no other side since October has managed to come away from here with three points.”

“We got a really good start with the goal early on because Plymouth are a good side and hard to beat, especially in home games, so it was a very good opening 10 to 15 minutes for us.

“We stayed focused throughout and scored a really good second goal and I think in the last minute it should have been a penalty and not a free kick so it could have been three.

“So overall I am really pleased with the maturity we showed to win this game.”

Farke singled out goalkeeper Illan Meslier for particular praise.

He said: “Melier was outstanding today. That’s one of his best performances this season. The last free kick from Whittaker for example, he put out. Today he did everything right.

“The Championship is relentless. It’s all about consistency, which is what we are showing.

“We must not forget we have one of the youngest sides in the Championship, especially near the top of division so they have shown a lot of maturity.

“After two fine away wins we need to rest and be ready and have energy for the game coming up at home to Leicester next Friday.”

Argyle head coach Ian Foster said: “I am proud of the players and the way they stuck to the game plan.

“Overall, performance-wise I am pleased. We have limited an unbelievable team in this division to two shots on target.

“I thought we were too passive in the first 20 minutes, which is not like us.

“It perhaps took their goal to settle us down.

“We were disappointed with the first goal and could have done better with the second but overall, like I said, we were pleased because Leeds are such an unbelievably good side.

“I thought we were dominant possession-wise in the second half but we needed to do more with the ball.

“Leeds are devastating in attack and ruthless with their finishing and they showed that today.

“I thought overall in the second half we did well but could not find a way to get the ball in the box.

“Leeds and us have got two different objectives this season.

“There were a lot of positives to take from the game but obviously we are disappointed to lose.

“We dust ourselves and get ready for Tuesday at home to West Brom now.”

Leeds moved to second in the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win at Plymouth thanks to goals from forwards Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter.

Daniel Farke’s side made a flying start and their early pressure was rewarded with a 10th minute goal for in-form Gnonto, taking his goal tally to five in as many games.

Rutter’s audacious high ball into the area split the home defence and Gnonto brilliantly brought the ball down and stroked it home past goalkeeper Conor Hazard.

Argyle’s best attempt in the opening 25 minutes was a long-range shot which flew over by midweek scorer Mickel Miller, recalled to the starting eleven following his impressive display against Coventry.

Miller was also on hand to stop a lightning break in the 32nd minute as Crysencio Summerville looked to pounce on the counter-attack in a one-on-one break.

Seconds earlier United keeper Ilian Meslier did well to punch Morgan Whittaker’s in-swinging corner clear, in a rare Argyle attack.

Rutter came close to putting Leeds 2-0 up in the 38th minute with a first time shot that flew back off the post, with Hazard beaten, after being set up by Joel Piroe.

Piroe did superbly to beat three Argyle players before putting Rutter in on goal.

Miller continued to be a thorn in Leeds’ side in the second half and his pacey 52nd minute cross from the left should have been converted by Kiwi striker Ben Waine, as he slid in on the increasingly wet playing surface.

Three minutes later Miller forced a near-post save from Meslier as he let fly with a rising shot from the left.

Waine headed over from Matthew Sorinola’s cross from the right after 57 minutes.

Meslier punched Adam Randell’s in-swinging corner clear and then was equal to the Plymouth playmaker’s cross as he swept the ball back into a crowded six yard box from the wide on the right.

Summerville fired high and wide after making room for himself in the Plymouth penalty area from Rutter’s cutback.

Within minutes Rutter was at the centre of the action again.

The striker ran on to Joel Piroe’s defence-splitting through ball and beat diving Hazard with a thumping shot on the run into the box, which gave the home keeper little chance on 72 minutes.

Scottish striker Ryan Hardie announced his arrival – as a replacement for Waine – by forcing an acrobatic save from Meslier.

The French keeper made a low save at his near post to keep out 18-goal top scorer Morgan Whittaker’s 88th minute free kick from the right.

Leeds came close to making it three in stoppage time as substitute Daniel James’ thumping strike smashed off the cross bar.

Daniel Farke praised his players’ “perfect” approach after Leeds thrashed Swansea 4-0 to climb into the top two of the Sky Bet Championship.

Leeds secured a seventh-consecutive league victory in south-west Wales before the added bonus of Southampton’s 3-1 defeat at Bristol City allowed them to move back into the automatic promotion places.

“The win is just about us and what we do, our points tally,” Leeds boss Farke said when asked about Southampton’s first defeat since September 23.

“If you want to finish in the top positions, you need a special amount of wins and average points per game.

“We have a better average of two at the moment and that is quite impressive.

“In the last 20 years, above two points per game was always enough in position one.

“It will be difficult with (leaders) Leicester, but overall our record is really impressive and the best that the club has had in its history at this moment.”

Crysencio Summerville and former Swansea striker Joel Piroe – who was promoted from the bench moments before kick-off after Patrick Bamford suffered a leg injury during the warm-up – rewarded a positive Leeds start inside 10 minutes.

Wilfried Gnonto added another before the break and wrapped up matters with his fourth goal in as many games, 18 minutes from time.

Farke said: “It was a massive win for us. Swansea are normally a really good possession side and we needed to be spot on with our pressing – and we were.

“Our players executed the game plan in a perfect way. We prepared our final pass very well and we did that in the first half.

“In the second half, we could have been more aggressive. We allowed them a few half chances and crosses.

“But overall, we scored four goals and kept another clean sheet. It was pretty impressive.

“In terms of how we executed the game plan, it was the most disciplined and spot-on performance of the season.”

Swansea remain seven points above the relegation zone and have won only one of Luke Williams’ six league games in charge.

Williams said: “It was a tough evening because we did not compete properly. Too timid.

“You cannot play like that. We played as if we were too scared to press and we allowed them time at the back of the pitch.

“We caused ourselves huge problems and then when we got in close contact, we didn’t win enough tackles.

“If we’re going to compete with these top teams we have to play a top model of football and that requires intensity and bravery.

“But you can’t compete against Leeds playing like that.”

Leeds swept aside Swansea 4-0 to claim a seventh-consecutive Sky Bet Championship victory and equal their biggest win of the season.

The hosts were left facing an uphill battle that proved well beyond them after Crysencio Summerville and former Swansea striker Joel Piroe struck inside the opening 10 minutes.

Wilfried Gnonto added a brace to make it four goals in as many games, with Daniel Farke’s side maintaining their push for an automatic promotion spot in style.

Leeds had four former Swansea players in their matchday squad.

Joe Rodon was at the heart of the defence and Piroe was drafted in to the attack after Patrick Bamford was injured during the warm-up.

Wales internationals Connor Roberts and Daniel James – fit again after three weeks out with a hip injury – were among the substitutes.

Relegation clouds were starting to hover over Swansea but they had been lifted by their weekend win at Hull, their first league success under Luke Williams at the fifth attempt.

The Welsh club’s feel-good factor quickly evaporated as Leeds cut through them at will in the opening stages and showed a ruthless edge in front of goal to match.

After Swansea failed to clear their lines, Summerville scored his 16th goal of an increasingly-productive campaign with the help of a deflection off Jay Fulton.

Two minutes later, Piroe – who scored 46 Swansea goals before joining Leeds for a reported £12million fee in August – was granted the freedom of a familiar penalty area to race on to Gnonto’s pass.

Piroe’s shot had enough power to beat Carl Rushworth, who got a hand to it but was unable to deny the Dutchman his 11th Leeds goal.

Rushworth prevented Gnonto and Georginio Rutter from adding to Swansea’s misery, while Illan Meslier thwarted Brazilian winger Ronald at the other end.

Ronald tangled with Junior Firpo, while some Swansea fans called for a penalty, but those appeals fell on deaf ears and Leeds effectively settled the contest after 35 minutes.

Gnonto burst onto Archie Gray’s clever pass and advanced unchecked before cutting inside Ben Cabango.

The Italy international kept his composure to find the bottom corner of Rushworth’s net from 10 yards.

Swansea almost reduced the deficit at the start of the second half with Ronald, their main source of danger, firing a shot goalwards that Jamie Paterson diverted just wide.

Paterson was on the end of another chance moments later but he sent his volley over before striking the Leeds wall from a free-kick.

Leeds had taken their foot off the throttle in the second half as if the job was done.

But Gnonto profited from another quick break, fed by Summerville and driving low past the exposed Rushworth as Leeds matched their four-goal December victory over Ipswich.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke believes it ultimately would not have mattered had Patrick Bamford’s opening goal in the 3-0 win over Rotherham been chalked off for handball as he felt his side dominated the Championship clash.

Bamford put Leeds ahead in controversial circumstances at Elland Road with heavy suggestions of handball after a deflected cross appeared to brush his arm on its way in.

Crysencio Summerville added a second after the break and grabbed another from the penalty spot as the hosts made it six wins in a row with the Yorkshire derby triumph as Leeds remain third in the table.

Farke admitted he had not seen the opening strike back but that it would not have impacted the final result had it been disallowed as Leeds had too much for the Millers to handle.

He said: “If I’m honest I haven’t watched it back, someone mentioned it’s a possible handball or the ball was deflected by Patrick’s arm. For me it’s not possible to judge it.

“You have to say if it was a handball then probably it should have been not allowed but if I’m really honest normally you say over the course of a season everything is a bit equal.

“I also think normally it’s important during a game if it’s a goal or not a goal but today it was not important because we created so many chances.

“I think even if this situation would have been disallowed, I think it would still be the same outcome and to win. I think in the end it was not a decisive moment, we were too dominant.

“Rotherham is a side which still fights until the end in order to be successful in this relegation battle, they never gave up, also in the last 10 minutes they had a few set pieces, so that we are happy with the 3-0.”

The Millers remain bottom of the Championship and are 12 points from safety as they face the prospect of relegation to League One.

Boss Leam Richardson revealed referee Andrew Madley apologised at half-time over the opening goal but was not pleased with assistant referee Nick Hopton allegedly joking with Bamford at full-time, which he felt was ‘unprofessional’.

But he congratulated Leeds on their win and said: “I thought we started the game in the ascendancy and the goal hasn’t cost the result but it’s led to a large part of it with the handball, so you’re disappointed for the players with the work ethic they’ve put in.

“But congratulations to Leeds, they’re up there for a reason, you can see the quality of player and what happens if you give them chances.

“With the result, I think the 10 minutes in the second half [where Leeds scored twice] killed the game.

“Their first goal was disappointing with how it came about with the decision because I think it’s an easy decision. But I’m very respectful of the officiating, they’ve got a million and one things to make.

“Andy has apologised but I didn’t really appreciate the linesman who was on this side laughing and joking with Patrick after the game.

“I think that’s unprofessional but that’s not an excuse and we’ll move on from that. That’s their takeaway to get better themselves.”

Leeds maintained their Championship promotion charge with a comfortable 3-0 win in a Yorkshire derby against Rotherham.

Patrick Bamford put Leeds ahead in controversial circumstances at Elland Road with heavy suggestions of handball after a deflected cross appeared to brush his arm on its way in.

Crysencio Summerville added a second after the break for the dominant Whites and later scored his second from the penalty spot as the hosts made it six Championship wins in succession.

Leeds were aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to 2024 while Rotherham, the Championship’s basement club, were seeking their first win since Boxing Day.

Daniel Farke made six changes from the Leeds side that beat Plymouth in midweek FA Cup action and opposite number Leam Richardson named an unchanged team from that which tasted defeat to Southampton last weekend.

After early Rotherham pressure, Wilfried Gnonto got in behind the Millers but was unable to find Summerville ahead of goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

Georginio Rutter’s promising cross then found Bamford but his weak effort was claimed by Johansson after five minutes.

Bamford was denied before 10 minutes was played by Hakeem Odoffin’s low tackle after Rutter’s good work as the hosts continued to apply pressure.

Leeds took the lead when Junior Firpo’s left-wing cross deflected off Rotherham skipper Sean Morrison and struck what appeared to be Bamford’s arm to put the Whites ahead.

Rutter’s shot from outside the box flew just over before Summerville wasted a glorious chance after Firpo robbed Odoffin and the winger blasted his 25th-minute effort over, with Rutter being denied by Johansson moments later.

Ethan Ampadu’s fantastic long pass put Bamford through one-on-one but he was unable to control it 10 minutes from half-time.

Archie Gray nearly capped off a sustained Leeds move but fired straight at Johansson before the stopper denied Gnonto’s fiercely-struck effort just before the break to keep the deficit at just one.

Illan Meslier was sharp to control Glen Kamara’s back pass and prevent an own goal early in the second half.

Leeds should have doubled their lead when Bamford struck the bar and Gnonto blasted a follow-up over from close range.

But Summerville gave Leeds a deserved second as he exchanged passes with Rutter and buried past an onrushing Johansson after 52 minutes.

Referee Andrew Madley pointed to the penalty spot when Peter Kioso brought down Summerville and the winger coolly converted on the hour mark.

Gnonto could have made it four but his low 78th-minute drive fizzed inches wide before a rare Millers foray forward saw Christ Tiehi blast over following a corner.

Johansson collected Rutter’s header as full-time approached before Meslier denied Odoffin’s header at the other end, with Rutter blasting inches wide in stoppage time.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke praised his side for their 4-1 extra-time win at Championship rivals Plymouth.

Extra-time goals by substitutes Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville and a Ryan Hardie own goal settled the FA Cup fourth-round replay and sealed Leeds’ passage into the last 16 – and a trip to Aston Villa or Chelsea.

Brendan Galloway’s 78th-minute chested goal for Argyle had cancelled out Wilfried Gnonto’s 66th-minute opener to force extra time.

Farke said: “It was nearly the perfect away performance. We were so dominant, we created so many chances, scored the goals but we also hit the crossbar twice and the post.

“The scoreline flattered us, yes but not that we had to play 120 minutes and it was also a replay.

“I want to say firstly congratulations to Plymouth, a brave side, a confident side, they never know when they are beaten.

“They found a way in both games to get a foot in the door although we were so dominant.

“We dominated the second half, I just saw the statistics that we had 82 per cent of the possession. But Plymouth had the free-kick and they managed to score so they were pretty effective.

“Plymouth scored out of nothing but we showed great heart to win this. We invested so much energy and mentality into the game and showed a real will to win.

“We took risks and pressed them high and also defended with discipline. I am happy with the performance as we gave everything.

“I don’t look too far ahead but we can think about the next round when it comes around. It will be an exciting game.”

Argyle boss Ian Foster said: “I said to them after the game how proud I am of them.

“We spoke about coming away with no regrets and I am proud of the way we approached the game and how difficult we made it for Leeds over two games.

“The scoreline is quite sobering for us in terms of their ruthlessness at the end. We won’t be downtrodden about the result because we know how well we played over two games.

“Look at the quality that Leeds had on the pitch late on, it makes it challenging for you. We will learn from playing against top-quality opposition.

“Leeds are a smashing outfit and they deserved to go through on the balance of the game and we wish them well.

“We have been caught a couple of times and that is fine. We will stick together and keep learning and improving. We are a young and inexperienced team at this level.

“It’s quite difficult because it was a sobering scoreline but we will take the positives from it, dust ourselves down and move on.

“We have got four boys who were ineligible, which is fine, because we knew that. I have got no issues with the number of subs we had today (six, of the permitted nine); we had to go with what we had.

“We will be good to go for Sunderland on Saturday. We will have six more players available to us on Saturday, which is good.

“Late in the game we were still in it, but we want to leave our top scorers on the pitch. We wanted to give it a good go.”

Three extra-time goals fired Leeds into the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-1 win at Championship rivals Plymouth.

Substitutes Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter combined to put United 3-1 up before a 117th-minute own goal by Argyle striker Ryan Hardie capped a comprehensive United win.

Leeds will now travel to Premier League Aston Villa or Chelsea on Wednesday February 28.

The replay sparked to life in the 13th minute when a brilliant through-ball from Sam Byram found Mateo Joseph on the run. Joseph beat marker Lewis Gibson in a tussle for the ball but Northern Ireland keeper Conor Hazard got enough glove on a rising shot to turn the ball onto the frame of the goal.

Leeds hit the woodwork again in the 20th minute as Glen Kamara teed up Joel Piroe on the edge of the box. Piroe’s thundering drive took enough of a deflection off Argyle central defender Brendan Galloway to take the ball on to the face of the bar.

Plymouth responded on the counter, with skipper Joe Edwards forcing a routine save from Illan Meslier after being set up by Morgan Whittaker.

Defender Byram made a superb clearance to keep the ball away from Callum Wright as Hardie’s pacy ball from the right beat Meslier in the 25th minute and skimmed across the six-yard box.

Joseph went close with a 55th-minute shot which took the faintest of deflections off central defender Gibson’s heel and flew just past the post, covered by a diving Hazard.

Leeds pressure eventually told as Wilfried Gnonto fired them ahead in the 66th minute with a superb, measured right-foot strike from the edge of the box to beat Hazard at full stretch. Gnonto benefitted from a superb pass from playmaker Kamara from the right.

Substitute Archie Gray announced his arrival with a stinging shot which flew just wide from 20 yards on 73 minutes.

Argyle levelled from a 78th-minute Whittaker free-kick from the left as teenage central defender Ashley Phillips looped the far-post ball over Meslier to Galloway, who chested the ball home.

Substitute Joe Gelhardt smashed a half-volley off the post in stoppage time, while Hardie forced a last-minute save from Meslier as Argyle responded positively.

Seven minutes into extra time Rutter put Summerville on his way to a brilliant individual goal as he cut in from the left before beating Hazard with a soaring strike.

As Plymouth pressed for an extra-time leveller, Summerville teed up Rutter to sweep home Leeds’ third goal in the 111th minute.

Argyle’s misery was completed when Ilia Gruev’s corner glanced off Hardie and skidded past his own keeper.

Daniel Farke felt his Leeds side had produced an almost perfect away performance as they leapt to second in the Championship table with victory at Bristol City.

Wilfried Gnonto was the match-winner at Ashton Gate with a low left-footed shot from 10 yards in the 48th minute after running on to a long ball from Junior Firpo.

Leeds should have won by a wider margin as they outplayed their mid-table opponents, but a mixture of Max O’Leary saves and some poor finishing kept City in the game.

Farke was delighted with the majority of his side’s display but admits they will need to be more ruthless in front of goal if they want to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

He said: “The margin of victory should have been greater. It was almost the perfect away performance.

“We were so dominant and created so many chances, but I have to criticise our failure to put them away.

“If we want to be celebrating in May we have to be more clinical.

“We were playing a good side and they had one very big chance to equalise, which saw our goalkeeper make a very good save.

“We were breaking with three on one situations and not getting the final pass right over three yards.

“That has to change. But in all other respects I am so happy with the players.

“It’s great to have gone second in the table for our players and supporters. It means nothing to me with so long to go, but it is recognition of how well we are playing.

“We are playing really well and on a good run. But I know from experience how quickly things can change.”

City had one great second-half chance to equalise after 66 minutes when substitute Anis Mehmeti ran onto a Tommy Conway pass only to see his low shot saved at the second attempt by Illan Meslier.

But O’Leary made fine saves to deny the lively Crysencio Summerville on three occasions, as well as Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford.

The home side looked off the pace at times and head coach Liam Manning had no complaints.

He said: “First I have to give Leeds credit for being the best side we have played, but tonight we weren’t at the level we are capable of.

“Basic things went wrong like being caught in possession. They close space extremely well all over the pitch.

“I am frustrated because I know we can be so much better. The players seemed to tense up after making errors.

“Max O’Leary has been brilliant for us all season and he was great again in keeping us in the game.

“We had a chance to put things right at half-time and the message was to start doing the simple things well. Then we concede after a few minutes and it was a tough night for us.

“We have played the top sides and Leeds were the best. I expect them to sustain a promotion challenge.

“There have been a lot of games recently due to our FA Cup run, but I am not going to use that as an excuse. We have to work extra hard to bridge the gap to the top teams.

“But in fairness this was an out of character performance and the lads are as frustrated as I am.”

Leeds moved into the Championship automatic promotion places as Wilfried Gnonto’s 48th-minute goal earned a 1-0 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

The Italy winger beat goalkeeper Max O’Leary with a clinical left-footed finish from 10 yards after running on to a deflected long ball forward from Junior Firpo.

It was no more than Leeds deserved for a hugely impressive display in a largely one-sided contest, with their hosts out of sorts and only able to create a few openings.

City head coach Liam Manning made three changes from the 2-2 draw at Coventry, with Ross McCrorie, Matty James and Tommy Conway named in the starting line-up.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke made one team change, bringing in Gnonto for the injured Dan James.

Leeds made a bright start and had the first effort on goal in the ninth minute when Joe Rodon fired over from a Glen Kamara pass.

At the other end Nahki Wells had a low shot blocked after running on to a Cam Pring header.

Leeds had a great chance to take the lead after 13 minutes when Crysencio Summerville caught George Tanner in possession and raced clear down the middle only to shoot too close to O’Leary, who saved with a hand above his head.

O’Leary was in action again five minutes later parrying a Patrick Bamford shot from inside the box. Then Summerville cleared the crossbar from another good shooting position.

Leeds began to dominate and O’Leary denied them again after 34 minutes, blocking a close-range shot from Georginio Rutter for a corner after Bamford had outstripped Zak Vyner to cross from the right.

City were relieved to reach the interval on level terms, taking their time over throw-ins and set-pieces.

Leeds only needed to find an end product to their slick approach play, and they put that right immediately after the break with Gnonto’s clinical finish.

It should have been 2-0 three minutes later as Summerville robbed Pring and raced through to feed Kamara, whose shot was deflected for a corner with only O’Leary to beat.

O’Leary saved a low drive from the dangerous Summerville, but Leeds almost paid for not putting the game to bed in the 66th minute when Tommy Conway’s pass found Bristol City substitute Anis Mehmeti and his shot almost squeezed under advancing goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Still Leeds squandered chances, the elusive Summerville firing wide after another penetrating break.

But there was little threat at the other end from a tired-looking Bristol City outfit and the final whistle brought scenes of celebration as the Leeds players saluted their large band of travelling fans.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke admitted his side does things “the hard way” after being held to a 1-1 draw by Plymouth at Elland Road in the FA Cup.

Jaidon Anthony’s brilliant solo effort gave Leeds a half-time lead, but they failed to cash in on long spells of dominance and face a fourth-round replay at Home Park after Adam Randell’s equaliser.

Farke, whose side are challenging for automatic promotion in the Sky Bet Championship, said: “This league is relentless. We play so many games, one more game won’t kill us. I don’t think it will have a major effect.

“It’s a bit annoying because we could have done with a proper weekend off after the Bristol (City) game (next weekend) – the players would have deserved it.

“But we are Leeds United and we never go the easy way, we go the hard way. If you want to celebrate something in the league or cup, it never comes easy like a gift and we have to accept it.”

Anthony celebrated his stunning opener by paying tribute to his mother Donna, who died last week, by lifting his shirt to reveal the words ‘Rest in Perfect Peace Mum’ on his vest.

Farke said of the winger, who joined Leeds on loan from Bournemouth in September: “Obviously a big moment for him and I’m delighted for him because it was a goal full of quality.

“He’s shown what he’s all about as a player. Good technique, great finish, especially when he cuts inside, he’s so dangerous.

“It meant so much to him. You could feel it in the stadium. It’s not been the easiest few days for him and not for us as a group.

“It would have been even better if it was the decisive goal and he would be more in the spotlight, but nevertheless he was there with a crucial and top-class goal and an all-round good performance.”

Plymouth are unbeaten in four games under boss Ian Foster, who replaced Steven Schumacher at the start of this month, and have lost only once in their last 10 matches in all competitions.

Foster said: “We’re in the hat. Home Park is a difficult place to come for anybody and if we play like we did in the second half, we’ll fancy our chances.

“We know we’re rubbing shoulders with clubs like Leeds United, but we’re doing that on merit and we’ll make it as difficult for them as possible when they come down.”

Foster, whose side had three chances on target, added: “The positives of the first half were we dug in when it was very difficult, but the transition from first half to second-half performance was really pleasing.”