Football: O'Leary out for more Cup success

David O’Leary’s appetite for FA Cup success as a player will weigh heavy on his mind tomorrow as he leads his Leeds side into their fourth-round clash at home to Liverpool.

O'Leary played in English football’s showpiece five times, winning twice during his illustrious playing career with Arsenal, and he admitted: ''Winning the FA Cup is probably the best day of your life.''

Two-and-a-half years into his managerial career with Leeds, O’Leary is still searching for his elusive first piece of silverware and reckons the FA Cup would be the ideal place to start.

''I’ve won them all, and the league is the best but the FA Cup is second best,'' said O’Leary.

''The FA Cup throws up so many freak results, and you need a little bit of luck along the way.

''But it will be lovely to do it at a new venue for the first time in a landmark year.''

If they are to prevail at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in May, Leeds - beaten in last year’s fifth round by Aston Villa- know they have to do it the hard way.

Liverpool are fresh off the back of their 5-0 midweek thumping of Crystal Palace which left O’Leary’s Anfield counterpart Gerard Houllier even closer to breaking his own trophy duck - and keen to avenge his team’s 4-3 defeat in November’s epic Elland Road meeting with Leeds.

O’Leary added: ''A game like this is good enough to be a semi-final but all you’ll get is a place in the next round. You’d want to save a game like this for the final.''

He was delighted with his side’s comeback win at Villa Park on Wednesday night after the crushing blow of their 3-1 home defeat by Newcastle six days ago.

O’Leary is likely to keep largely the same team, with his major doubt hanging over former Liverpool youngster Dominic Matteo.

Matteo is still receiving treatment on a bruised foot which forced him to miss the second half on Wednesday, and O’Leary said: ''We will know with Dominic in the morning, but he has greatly improved.

''It was nothing bad, and if it was a Sunday game he would definitely be okay. But I think he has got a very, very good chance.''

If Matteo is ruled out O’Leary will stick with Ian Harte and Jason Wilcox down the left flank against Liverpool.

Lucas Radebe has solved Leeds’ regular central defensive conundrum because he is still away on international duty, but O’Leary still has a headache about who to use in goal after the return to full fitness of Nigel Martyn.

But after another top-notch performance by Paul Robinson at Villa Park the smart money is on the 21-year-old retaining his place for his 23rd successive match.

O’Leary and Houllier are firm friends off the field, and the latter educates the former on fine red wine - a glass of which O’Leary insists they will share tomorrow whatever the result.

But he had a warning for United fans inting to go to Elland Road tomorrow expecting another vintage clash.

''Whatever it was a few months ago is of no relevance to the game tomorrow,'' he insisted.

''As long as Liverpool don’t get beaten they’ll think it’s a great result and they’ll believe they can go all the way.''