26 April 2021

Marcelo Bielsa says Leeds’ ‘maturity’ helping to manage games against top sides

26 April 2021

Marcelo Bielsa senses Leeds are learning fast in their bid to become a genuine Premier League force.

Bielsa’s side maintained their impressive run of results against the top flight’s elite by drawing 0-0 against Manchester United on Sunday at Elland Road.

Since the turn of the year Leeds have beaten Leicester and Manchester City, while they have also held top-six sides Chelsea and Liverpool.

“All the players have constructed a solid group. Throughout this time they have made errors and have learned how to correct them,” Bielsa said.

“In the same way they have learned to avoid errors that are avoidable. I have a feeling there has been a growth in the maturity and their experience to manage these games.”

Leeds appear to have tailored their gung-ho approach following entertaining defeats to Liverpool, Leicester, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham earlier in the season.

The Whites have displayed a stubborn resilience in more recent encounters against the top-six sides and that continued on Sunday.

“The way in which we have administered the different periods in the games has been improving,” Bielsa added.

“The capacity of the players to go up against these very good players has also increased.

“Aggressively, but not in a definitive manner, we can impose ourselves on the opposing defence and avoid being overcome by attackers of the highest level.

“These are individual merits and there’s a great togetherness within the components, which allows them to support each other throughout the whole game.”

Marcus Rashford shows his frustration as Manchester United found no way through at Elland Road (PA Wire)

Leeds made it six top-flight games unbeaten for the first time since 2002, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side extended their unbeaten Premier League away run to 24 matches.

Solskjaer felt it was two points dropped on a frustrating afternoon at Elland Road – his side sit 10 points behind leaders Manchester City with five games remaining.

But the Norwegian said he had no problem with an angry exchange between Harry Maguire and team-mate Fred as tempers flared in the second half.

Maguire was heard calling Fred a “f*****g idiot” during a break in play, but Solskjaer was unmoved by the spat.

“We have got a group that demands a lot of each other,” he said. “The standard is high, both in training and the game.

“It’s not just about being a nice guy and cajoling. We demand maximum effort.

“I was really proud in the second half how strong we looked, how we dominated the possession, the regains, how quickly we won the ball back and never felt they threatened our goal in the second half.

“But we missed a little bit, an extra spark to win the game.”

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