'Breathtaking' - Gary Neville rushes to Leeds United's defence following criticism of Marcelo Bielsa

Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville has defended Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa following the Whites 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the Red Devils last weekend.

There were 43 shots in what was an extremely open game, which could have produced more goals.

Before the clash with Manchester United, the Whites head coach said Leeds would stick to their footballing principles.

However, Leeds and Bielsa’s uncompromising style of play has been criticised as naive by some in the media.

Neville, however, didn’t agree with that assessment and praised the Yorkshire club's approach in the Premier League so far this campaign.

"I said yesterday on commentary, and it maybe annoyed some people we were talking about Leeds as much as Manchester United," said Neville on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"Because when you watch this team live, and you're seeing them for the first time in the Premier League in this last few months, it is simply breathtaking.

"You cannot really say anything negative about it.

"There will be cynics out there who say it's ridiculous, that they concede that many goals, they do this wrong, they do that wrong, it's just the aura and presence of Bielsa...

"But I've watched four games live of Leeds United this season, and I want to see brilliant performances, I'm going to watch Burnley against Wolves tonight and we're going to admire a more rigid game, a methodical game.

"But how can we watch what we saw yesterday... the game against Manchester City [a 1-1 draw] was one of the best 45 minutes of football I've seen in the Premier League working at Sky. That yesterday was breathtaking, end-to-end.

"They're throwing out statistics in games which are just completely different that what Burnley, Fulham, West Brom would do.

"I haven't got anything bad to say about it, I really haven't.

"We criticise everybody, we analyse everybody to death, but they've just come up to the Premier League and they're an absolute breath of fresh air."

Bielsa's side take on Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday at Elland Road