Mark Hudson hoping Cardiff can spring another FA Cup shock on Leeds

By Phil Blanche, PA

Mark Hudson is determined to add another slice of Cardiff FA Cup history against third-round opponents Leeds.

Cardiff claimed a famous victory over Leeds at this stage of the competition in 2002, when they were in the third tier and David O’Leary’s side were top of the Premier League.

The two sides have since met 22 times as Championship rivals, but Leeds – now back in the top flight following promotion in 2020 – won only three of those games during a successful run between 2015 and 2016.

“I’ve been reminded of it (the 2002 cup tie) this week and it’s something in the history between the two clubs,” manager Hudson said ahead of Sunday’s televised tie at the Cardiff City Stadium.

“It’s a team that we’ve done well against historically and we look forward to it.

“We’ll have to create an atmosphere, and hopefully we’ll see as many as our fans here as we can.”

Underdog

Leeds are taking around 6,500 fans to the Welsh capital after receiving extra tickets.

It will be their 10th consecutive FA Cup away tie, a run stretching back to January 2016 and just one short of Stockport’s 11-game record in the competition between 1996 and 2001.

Hudson said: “I watched their game with West Ham and saw a team full of energy going right to the last minute.

“They like to play counter-press football and they have a manager (Jesse Marsch) that is extremely enthusiastic about the way they play.

“When you play a Premier League team you’re going to be deemed as an underdog, but we’ve got to focus on what we can do as a team.

“We’ve worked on how we can create numbers going forward and how we can pose a threat. We’ll see how we can do that in the game.”

Cardiff are only two points and two places above the Championship relegation zone after going seven matches without a win.

But Hudson, who succeeded Steve Morison in September and has been told he is in charge until the end of the season, insists his side are playing better than their form suggests.

He said: “We had an apology for three decisions – a sending-off and two penalties – in the Blackpool game. If we win that game then our point against Coventry is a good point and the momentum going into the Blackburn game might be different.

“But we didn’t and now it’s about us focusing on what we do against Leeds.

“I cannot disregard the game. Maybe we can rest one or two with illness, but this is an opportunity to showcase ourselves against a Premier League team.”