LEEDS 2 (Varney 15, McCormack 50), TOTTENHAM 1 (Dempsey 58)
Leeds: Ashdown, Byram, Peltier, Lees, White, Green, Brown, Austin, Varney, Diouf (Pearce 90), McCormack (Somma 90). Subs: Kenny, Hall, Dawson, Norris, Tonge.
Tottenham: Friedel, Naughton (Walker 66), Caulker, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone (Obika 58), Parker, Lennon, Bale, Sigurdsson (Dembele 58), Dempsey Subs: Gomes, Townsend, Livermore, Dawson.
Referee: K Friend
Att: 29,943
United manager Neil Warnock started with the team that won the third round replay at Birmingham while Tottenham included former United youngster Aaron Lennon in their starting line-up.
The visitors arrived as one of the in-form sides in the Premier League and they started the game on the front foot, looking to put Leeds under early pressure.
But Elland Road was celebrating inside 15 minutes when United broke quickly and Luke Varney came racing in from the left flank before delivering a terrific curling finish past Brad Friedel. It was a great goal by Varney and gave United the early advantage in the contest.
Tottenham were unable to make any headway as they looked for a response, Gareth Bale and Lennon switching wings early on as they struggled to get into the game. When Bale did find some space, United defended well to clear the danger.
The visitors enjoyed the better of the possession during the first half, but they failed to create any meaningful chances against a Leeds side who were dogged and resilient.
Indeed, right on the stroke of half-time Ross McCormack was denied by some quick thinking from Brad Friedel.
United also started the second half brightly and after Sam Byram forced an early corner, Varney was only denied by a great defensive tackle.
But it was 2-0 on 50 minutes when El-Hadji Diouf lifted a ball over the top for Ross McCormack to run on to, and the Scot shaped before delivering a superbly placed finish to double the advantage.
The visitors got themselves a foot back in the game on 58 minutes, though, when Clint Dempsey found space to head home a cross after great work by Bale.
McCormack almost worked his way through to create an opening for a third goal, and when the Scot made a nuisance of himself again, the visitors managed to clear their lines.
Tottenham were having some defending to do, Paul Green got in behind them, but his cross was cleared, and when McCormack escaped clear, Friedel again did well by standing firm.
At the other end, Tom Lees did well to cut out one Tottenham effort before a Mousa Dembele foul on Michael Brown inside the Leeds box eased one spell of pressure. Sam Byram was next to make a good block as Dempsey shaped to shoot.
As the clock started to tick down United looked to close the game out by holding the ball up in the corners.
Tottenham had a great chance in the 90th minute when Jon Obika latched on to a long ball forward, but he was denied by some superb defending.
United were dogged under late pressure from the visitors, but a great team effort was rewarded with yet another impressive victory against Premier League opponents.
