Having had 15 points deducted before the campaign started and with a managerial change mid season, Leeds have done exceptionally well to make the play-offs. Gary McAllister's men have been in good form at the end of the season winning three successive games. Carlisle finished four points better off than their play-off opponents and came ever so close to grabbing an automatic promotion position to the Championship. Whilst Leeds' Jermaine Beckford could be the main threat for Leeds, Carlisle's success has been built on a solid defence particularly goalkeeper Keiren Westwood and defender Danny Livesey.

Neil Warnock's team have an uphill battle to turn this tie around after losing 2-1 at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon. A well-worked free-kick culminated in Louis Carey putting the Robins in front, Ben Watson equalised from the penalty spot only for David Noble to take all the plaudits with a stunning 30-yard strike that gave Gary Johnson's side a massive win in their bid to reach the promised land of the Premier League. Tempers were frayed on both sides in the first leg and Neil Warnock has already spoken of his displeasure at City's players celebrating at the final whistle. This promises to be a real cracker for the right to meet Hull City or Watford at Wembley.

This season the FA Cup has thrown up drama, excitement and numerous cup shocks. As a result the winner of the showpiece Wembley final will be the first side from outside the "Big Four" to win the trophy since Everton in 1995. Portsmouth go into the match as favourites, having had another fine season in the Premier League despite tailing off in the final weeks of the season. Harry Redknapp's side is built on a rock-solid defence with James, Campbell and Distin particularly impressive, as was illustrated by their 1-0 win at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals. Pompey also have class in midfield thanks to Sulley Muntari, Lassana Diarra and Niko Kranjcar so Redknapp will be hopeful of bagging his first major trophy in management. Cardiff themselves have a canny manager in Dave Jones and they won't be coming to Wembley just to make up the numbers. In Joe Ledley, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and perhaps Robbie Fowler they should pose an attacking threat as they look to repeat their FA Cup triumph of 1927.