Credit: Breaking Media/Manh Tung

Scott Mason

Tue 31 March 2026 17:10, UK

Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping to use his quarter-final record to propel West Ham United to Wembley when they face Leeds in the FA Cup.

The Hammers are just one game away from making the FA Cup semi-final for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.

However, the road to Wembley will not be easy for the Irons. While they face Leeds at home, the E20 outfit have already fallen to defeat against Daniel Farke’s side this season.

That previous meeting will not only give the opposition belief but also serve as a reminder as to how difficult this tie could be.

Ahead of West Ham’s FA Cup fixture, Nuno could provide some hope based on his previous history in cup competitions.

What is Nuno’s quarter-final record throughout his career?

When Nuno reaches a quarter-final, he has always got the job done. The Irons boss has managed four previous domestic cup quarter-finals in his managerial career, seeing his sides progress every time.

His record at this level showcases his tactical ability to achieve results in one-off ties, especially when it matters most.

Nuno is also no stranger to bringing a Premier League side to Wembley, with the Portuguese manager doing so with Wolves in 2018-2019 and last season with Nottingham Forest.

The newly promoted Wanderers stunned English football by finishing seventh and reaching the FA Cup semi-final that season.

Forest also stunned in 2024-2025 by qualifying for Europe and reaching Wembley.

Now, Nuno will be hoping to repeat the trick for a third time and extend his impressive record in the later stages of cup competitions.

Although focus will be on maintaining West Ham’s Premier League status, Hammers players and fans will not say no to a semi-final at Wembley. These experiences do not often come around.

However, while Nuno holds that impressive record, Callum Wilson’s record versus Leeds may prevent him from featuring.

How does opposing manager Daniel Farke fare in cup competitions?

On the other side of the fixture, Farke’s record in quarter-finals is not as solid as Nuno’s.

The German has managed in five throughout his career, winning just two of those fixtures.

His most recent cup exploits came in 2019-2020, where his Norwich side were narrowly knocked out of the FA Cup to Manchester United.

The Canaries were minutes away from a penalty shootout before Harry Maguire netted a 118th-minute winner to break Norwich hearts.

This weekend, Nuno would not mind a similar outcome occurring for Farke. Although, the thought of extra time and added minutes to his players’ tanks would not be ideal amid the relegation battle.