What should happen as Leeds United meet Cardiff City, who to play and FA Cup view: David Prutton

So inherently put your money on Leeds leaving with their pants pulled down and out of the cup. It remains to be seen if there's a different approach this time given the recent World Cup break where you might have players chomping at the bit.

There is also the element of Leeds maintaining momentum going into the fixture following two solid draws against Newcastle United and West Ham after the Man City game. But I honestly don't know. This will be Whites boss Jesse Marsch's first taste of the FA Cup having managed in the USA, Austria and Germany so he'll be wanting to see what it's like.

The platitudes about the cup and what it is will be trotted out. But if Leeds go out to Cardiff at the weekend but you are still in the Premier League following the last kick of the ball in May then, if you are a Leeds fan, I really don't think you care.

There are traditionalists and I don't know if it's a generational thing. I'd have to touch base with kids that are in a different generation to me. I think my era and older still see the FA Cup as one of the premier cup competitions on the planet.

From Leeds United's point of view, given that absence from the top division and that ability that they've shown to stay in it, I think that they'd give that over the FA Cup. But maybe that is the wrong comparison to make as I always loved playing in the FA Cup. I thought it was great. It was something that I grew up wanting to play in and I managed to do it. It was a great occasion. It will be tough at Cardiff who will be gunning for Leeds.

Given Cardiff's form in the league, Leeds should go there and absolutely turn them over. But as ever, in a cup tie, on one given day, Cardiff might pull some performance out of the bag which blows Leeds out of the water so that's what they have got to be very, very careful of.

The other side of it that you have to look at is what effect does it have mentally if there is an upset? But based on recent seasons you would say none, apart from maybe the season in which Leeds did not go up. Off the back of Covid it's all been about being in the Premier League which is what Leeds have done.

It remains to be seen whether there's a sacrifice to be made, whether there's a chance to blood younger kids and a chance to put a really nice young team out and give them a proper test because Cardiff away is a proper test. If you've a young player that's had minimal Premier League minutes then get them on the pitch, see what they can do and then it gives you food for thought with the squad moving forward.

Cardiff are struggling by virtue of where they are in the table but they've got players who can cause problems. Callum Robinson can cause you problems although he has been unwell and is doubtful. But Callum O'Dowda can cause you problems and they are not a team to be taken lightly under boss Mark Hudson.

They have chopped and changed managers and they have settled on Mark for the rest of the season. It's a team that has a bit of a free hit really against Leeds and you can flip it the other way. I don't know financially what a cup run involves for a club like Cardiff but if they manage to secure a result and a performance against Leeds that then pushes them up to mid table and relative safety in the Championship then it's happy days for them because that is a tough fight down there.

There's some big clubs that are hanging around down the bottom end of the Championship and Cardiff are one of those ones that will be wanting to pull away. They will be a physical side, it will be a stern test and it won't be a walk in the park.

From a Leeds point of view, if they play with the energy that they can show at their very, very best and the quality that they can show at their very, very best in the Premier League then they should come away with a win. But all of this is on paper and all of this is hypothetical until the whistle gets blown at the weekend. Leeds on TV in the FA Cup is a recipe for disaster so hang on to your hats.