Bielsa insists Leeds struggles are not unique; confirms Bamford return

Marcelo Bielsa has urged Leeds United to show how competitive they can be as they look to get back on track in the Premier League.

Leeds made a bright start to life back in the top flight, running Liverpool close on the opening day and taking points off Manchester City and early pace-setters Aston Villa.

However, things have taken a turn for the worse since then. Since the win at Villa Park, Leeds have won just one out of six games – against Everton.

They have also only won once at home all season, something they will be looking to put right when Newcastle visit Elland Road on Wednesday.

Some pundits have feared that Leeds may be dragged into a relegation battle if their current slide continues. However, Bielsa insists that his side will continue to fight, no matter their form.

“It’s very difficult to talk about the future and to predict it,” he told a press conference.

“The reality that we’re going through at this moment to have only picked up four points from the last 18 is a negative cycle that of course generates consequences.

“This negative cycle that we’re going through is similar to half of the other teams in the Premier League who have gone through a similar cycle.

“We know that every time we play the difficulty is very high and we try to hope that we can pick up as many points as possible. In football any circumstance is possible and every week we will fight to improve our position in the table regardless of where it is.”

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Bielsa continued by acknowledging the belief that Leeds showed they can deal with adversities when they were in the Championship, and he hopes they can replicate that in the top flight.

“There are different types of adversities,” he added. “The Premier League is of a certain level and we have to show we can play at that level.

“You can take different moments from the 12 games we’ve played so far and you will find expressions that are very good and others that are not so good.

“In the Championship we had the respect of a large percentage of opponents and a superiority that was already clear. What we had to do was impose it.

“Our challenge in every game in the Premier League is to demonstrate that we can compete in equal conditions and in this task that’s where we’re at. Throughout these 12 games we’ve been superior to some big rivals and there’s been times where inferior opponents have been superior to us.”

Bielsa not giving lineup away again

Before their last game, a 2-1 loss to West Ham, Bielsa announced his entire starting lineup in advance after being asked about some of his options.

Bielsa does not think giving away his lineup gives any advantage to opponents. Even so, he has promised to stop doing so – but he was able to confirm that Patrick Bamford is available.

“No,” he simply said when asked if Bamford would miss the game.

He then said: “It would be incorrect if we thought that knowing the XI of the opponent gives you an important advantage; for me it doesn’t give you an important advantage.

“So from now on to avoid any backlash, I will not continue to give answers on the players who can or cannot play on the weekends.”

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