Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa issues fierce defence of Man Utd man after injury controversy

Koch was levelled by a Scott McTominay shoulder-barge during the first half of the 4-2 Elland Road defeat by Manchester United. The challenge opened up a deep gash above Koch's eye and although Leeds say the defender initially passed the Premier League concussion protocols and was able to rejoin play with his head bandaged, he later succumbed to the effects of the knock and had to be replaced.

The German defender is 'perfect' now thanks to Bielsa, as he and the club follow the return to play protocols.

After the game Bielsa explained that Koch had been withdrawn because of the cut he sustained, rather than a concussion, so a fourth substitution was requested by the Whites.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday night's trip to Anfield, Bielsa went into greater detail on why Koch was allowed to return to the pitch after the initial treatment from Leeds' medical team.

"Koch clashes and he gets a cut where blood starts coming out from," said the head coach.

"He continues in the game after the evaluation the doctors gave, because the only problem he continued to have was the cut on his head. If that was not the case. After five minutes with the player, the medical staff would have substituted him. The consequences of the clash was something different than just a clash of heads and the cut that was produced. The first conclusion, after being five minutes with the player was that he could continue playing because he only had a cut and that the issue was resolved. That's why he came off, they bandaged him, changed his shirt and shorts and he continues to play. During the time he continued to play he acted perfectly, there was no indicator, I looked over the sequences and there was no reason to believe he had limitations. At a given moment, the player sits down, the doctors come on and he indicates that he has symptoms that he didn't have when the clash happened. As it couldn't have been any other way, as the symptoms appeared after, we decided to change.

"As you should know the symptoms of a clash like this have 24 hours to appear. So in the solution of the subject, we all did exactly what corresponded. We did nothing different to the protocol, everything according to the protocol. I was convinced it was just the bleeding from the cut, that was the first conclusion after the evaluation. After, when he manifested different symptoms, he was substituted. The control the player receives with this type of knock, the protocol that is applied is what generates what he should be substituted or not. Not every knock generates a substitution. If not, the knock James received when he clashed with Shaw would have resulted in a substitution.

"I didn't want to make use of the fourth sub because I didn't have the certainty it was deserved. Initially it was the cut and not the clash and after it was the clash, I stayed with the initial position with the absurd idea of not wanting to abuse the rules. The prevention of the head knocks is a very serious and important situation that can generate real dramas, but it's also true that you shouldn't dramatise situations that don't deserve to be interpreted in the way this situation has been interpreted.

"There's something the medical staff at Leeds have done and I as an extension of their decisions is to abide strictly by the rules for Covid, knocks to the head or any other case. If there's any club that's acted impeccably with regards to health it's been Leeds."

Bielsa, who revealed that since the Derby County Spygate affair he has made sure to strictly abide by the rules and not bring to light injustices he has felt, went on record to absolve McTominay of blame for Koch's injury and backed referee Paul Tierney's decision not to caution or send off the Manchester United midfielder.

"One of the consequences that generates the clash Koch received that I never read any commentary about that, is the intention, not the gravity of the injury that is punished," he said.

"So of course considering that detail, I celebrate, I value that McTominay didn't receive a sending off. It was right that it was that way because he didn't intend to hit Koch and the clash with Shaw didn't even generate a foul because he didn't have any intention to clash with James even though he did so. A very important conclusion this episode leaves, even as grave as the foul a player can commit is, if he doesn't have the intention of committing it he shouldn't be severely punished. For example how Pascal was punished for the tackle on Elliott. Of course that's where the excessive use of force comes into play but it's with the intention behind it also. I think that our conduct in the face of this action is the same that Elliott had in that moment, to say there was no bad intention and that Pascal didn't deserve to be punished. Here it's exactly the same. We celebrate that he wasn't cautioned because he had no intention of committing that action and the same goes for Shaw."

Bielsa bemoaned the absence of Kalvin Phillips after Sunday's game and will be without him again at Anfield tomorrow night. The defensive midfielder, along with Liam Cooper, has spent two months recovering from a hamstring problem suffered in the December fixture against Brentford. Their rehabilitation period is due to be complete by the start of March.

Striker Patrick Bamford is also making his way back to fitness from his latest injury. He damaged his ankle against Newcastle United back in September and injured his hamstring celebrating his comeback goal in December. Since then a foot problem has cropped up that continues to keep him out.