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Maguire makes claim about Leeds’ pitch after playing on it on Sunday
Harry Maguire that the Elland Road pitch was just about playable following their win over Leeds United in a stunning game on Sunday.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side were beaten in an amazing spectacle. The conditions were awful from the outset. However, that only seemed to enhance the experience as it inspired players to produce some brilliant sliding challenges and desperate lunges.
And as the rain did not let up, it appeared to be in the second-half when the two teams were really forced to try and adapt. It seemed that Leeds were set to benefit as they went from 2-0 down at half-time to 2-2 in about 80 seconds early on in the second-half.
However, the pitch then went on to hurt Leeds. Junior Firpo lost possession before the visitors’ third goal as the ball stuck in the turf following a long pass. And Pascal Struijk misjudged the bounce for what proved to be the fourth.
Of course, Leeds fans are no strangers to seeing the Elland Road pitch come under scrutiny. It was a talking point throughout last season.
And Maguire commented on playing on the Elland Road surface following the game.
“The conditions in the second-half were just about playable I’d say, especially this half which we were defending and trying to build up in,” .
“It was waterlogged in a lot of areas so we came out in the second-half and we were still tried to play our football and we got caught on it too much. We tried dribbling in our own half, and you couldn’t dribble in those conditions in that half of the pitch.”
Last game Leeds needed after amazing derby at Elland Road was visit to Liverpool
Leeds have struggled when they have had a short break between games. They do not have the depth to rotate. And injuries have decimated the squad at times this term.
And that is why some will be worried about how the conditions may impact them against Liverpool on Wednesday.
Maintaining Leeds’ intensity would have been so much tougher on that pitch on Sunday. And with that, recovering from the 4-2 loss is likely to take longer.
Leeds were already behind the eight ball with Liverpool getting the sniff of an open title race this weekend. The demands of Sunday’s game will only make their task tougher.