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Ian Wright lauds Marcelo Bielsa and three Leeds players after draw
Ian Wright that it is disrespectful to accuse Marcelo Bielsa of being one-dimensional, before naming three Leeds United players who were fantastic against Manchester United on Sunday.
Leeds remain unbeaten in home games against the so-called big six since getting promoted. They drew 0-0 with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side at Elland Road.
It was an attritional game that may have disappointed many neutrals hoping to see another exhilarating contest between two teams who played out an eight-goal thriller in the reverse fixture.
In many ways, the two games against their bitter rivals perfectly illustrate the progress Leeds have made.
No side in the top-half of the table has conceded more goals in the Premier League this season. And yet, no team has let in fewer goals at home in 2021 than the Whites either.
And Wright suggested that Bielsa has silenced anyone who doubted whether he would be able to make Leeds harder to break down, before lauding the defensive unit for their latest display.
“I think it’s a bit disrespectful saying he’s one-dimensional, he won’t adapt because what we saw today was them adapting,” .
“Kalvin Phillips, Diego Llorente and Pascal Struijk today were fantastic.
“Absolutely,” he added, when asked if Leeds tracked the space rather than the men. “They did that today, and they did it very, very well. Man United didn’t have any answers for them, they snuffed them out everywhere.”
On paper, it appeared to be a big boost that Leeds had taken themselves to the brink of safety ahead of these last three games.
Some may have expected little from their clashes with Manchester City, Liverpool and then Manchester United.
But Leeds went unbeaten, taking five points. They also only conceded two goals in those games.
When the fixture list emerged, April looked set to be a defining month for Leeds. Some may have expected it to be the spell that piled the pressure on Bielsa’s men in a potential relegation battle.
In truth, what it actually showed is that Leeds are more than good enough for a top-half spot in the Premier League.