MY ACCOUNT
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged “it is impossible not to be worried” by the prospect of relegation after his side went down 4-2 to Manchester United.
Headers from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had United ahead on Sunday, before Rodrigo and Raphinha struck in the space of two minutes to level things up in the second half.
But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga secured victory for Ralf Rangnick’s team to leave Leeds winless from their last four Premier League outings, and they sit just five points above the relegation zone.
Everton and the resurgent Newcastle United are the two teams immediately below the 15th-placed Leeds, propping the gap between Bielsa’s side and the last relegation spot occupied by Watford.
Burnley, who are in 19th, are six points behind the Whites but also boast two games in hand as they look to make a late survival push following a 3-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
With key players Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford still injured, and Liverpool and Tottenham as Leeds’ next opponents, Bielsa recognises the difficult task at hand.
“It is impossible not to be worried,” Bielsa told Sky Sports. “We have conceded 50 goals. Do you think I cannot be worried? How can I not feel responsible?
“We have to defend better. We are missing Kalvin Phillips and Robin Koch was substituted and we could not count on Pascal [Struijk] in midfield because he went back into defence.
“Not being able to come with the three defensive midfielders we have, there is a weakness in the recovery of the ball.
“In the first half we started well and ended well but didn’t manage to score. In the moments we lost dominance they scored.
“After we got back level we had the chance to go 3-2 up and straight away they went up and scored again.
“We played better trying to get back into the game than when we were trying to keep a result but something has repeated that is difficult to resolve.”
It was the fourth time Leeds have conceded at least four goals in a Premier League game this season – no side has done so more often so far this term.
