'Needed to do' - Leeds United skipper discusses goalkeeper competition after FA Cup clean sheet
Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu believes squad depth at Elland Road makes for a competitive group after a strong lineup found a way past Harrogate Town in the FA Cup Third Round.
Largie Ramazani's 59th minute header was enough to guide Championship Leeds past League Two Harrogate on Saturday evening as the Whites booked a spot in the Fourth Round of this year's competition.
Ampadu returned to midfield after deputising at centre-back in recent weeks as Josuha Guilavogui made his full debut alongside Pascal Struijk.
The skipper completed 90 minutes once more, the fifth occasion he has done so since returning from injury.
Speaking after Leeds' 1-0 win, Ampadu reflected on the game: "A lot of changes, but we've got great squad depth, I think that's obviously proven today. A lot of changes, but still a very good lineup. There's belief in every single one of the players that play, no matter how long they play. The main thing was to go through and we wanted to put in a professional performance. We knew that they were gonna be up for it, we're up for it, it's a derby at the end of the day."
Farke made eight changes to his lineup, which included full debuts for Guilavogui and Isaac Schmidt on the right-hand side of defence.
Back-up stopper Karl Darlow replaced Illan Meslier in goal, which Farke insisted in midweek was a change that had been planned before the Frenchman's error-strewn display at Hull City last time out.
"Karl's a good goalkeeper," Ampadu said at full-time. "Not just at goalkeeper, in all positions there's competition for places. We've got great squad depth, Karl did well, Karl did what he needed to do."
Leeds host Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road next Sunday in their return to Championship action. Following Sunday's Third Round ties, the Whites will discover who their next opponents are in the FA Cup Fourth Round.