Leeds United manager Daniel Farke was proud his team were able to progress in the Emirates FA Cup despite not performing at their best.

Speaking after the Whites had won a dramatic penalty shootout against Birmingham City, the boss was pleased the squad had shown a different side to their game to grind out the result.

“I have to say really well done and congratulations first of all to Birmingham,” the German explained. “They made for us this really difficult game.

“Like expected, a fantastic home performance. You could feel this team is in red-hot form. Of course, the stadium was buzzing. Everyone was on it today.

“I think it is no question mark that Birmingham was the better side in the first half. They would have deserved to be in the lead.

“If you then don’t dominate the ball and dominate the game, it could be the case that you are a bit out-muscled. This is what happened in the first half.

“There were not too many positives in the first half. But what was positive, that although we were suffering in the first half, that we still found a way to keep the clean sheet. Lucas Perri had one or two really excellent saves.

“We changed then our setup in the second half also bringing our captain, our leader, Ethan Ampadu, in for a bit more physicality. We changed also the base formation, the way we set up.

“And by doing this, we won then a bit more, step by step, more control over the game back. We were better in the pressing, better in keeping the ball.

“A well-taken goal from Lukas Nmecha but also Birmingham stayed in the game in the end. It was a very tight, very competitive game.

“It was a tight game, perhaps even tighter than I would have wished for but in the end we found a way to win it and for that many compliments to my players.”

Discussing goalkeeper Perri’s heroics, Farke added: “I am very happy and delighted for him. He fully deserves to be in the spotlight today because he is such a smart and thoughtful guy.

“It was not easy for him in the recent weeks and overall also his two injuries in the recent months. But, yeah, days like this are the best in order to find his confidence back, to find his rhythm back and today he deserves lots of praise and also fully deserves to be in the spotlight.”