'He'd decided to leave' - Newcastle United defender on his short-lived Marcelo Bielsa encounter and Leeds United plan

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Newcastle United defender Javier Manquillo is heading for a reunion with Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa and says his Magpies must beat the Whites at St James' Park.

Former Spain under-21s full back Manquillo spent the 2015-16 season on loan from Atletico Madrid at Marseille, for whom Bielsa was appointed as head coach back in May 2014.

Over half a decade later, Manquillo is now set for a reunion with Bielsa in Friday's Premier League clash against Leeds but the defender says the amount of time he spent under the Argentinian at Marseille was only brief due to Bielsa resigning in August 2015.

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Manquillo told NUFC TV: "I have to tell you that I only worked with Bielsa for just the two or three weeks because I'd only just gone to Marseille and that was around the time when he'd decided to leave the club.

BIELSA REUNION: For Newcastle United right back Javier Manquillo, above. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.BIELSA REUNION: For Newcastle United right back Javier Manquillo, above. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.
BIELSA REUNION: For Newcastle United right back Javier Manquillo, above. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

"So as a result, I didn't really get to know him too well!

"But I reckon what we do all know about Bielsa is that all his teams play with such an incredibly high intensity and so I think it's going to be a very tough game for us - but it's a game that we have to win."

Newcastle signed Manquillo from Atleti in July 2017 and the defender bagged his first goal for the Magpies in last weekend's 4-1 defeat at Manchester United.

The Toon Army have picked up just one point from their first four games and sit second bottom.

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Manquillo added: "Whenever you lose a game, you're always unhappy, and then all you want is for the next game to come around as quickly as possible so you can pick up a win and the three points."

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Thank you Laura Collins

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