'I watched that game 15 times' - Lee Johnson makes admission over Leeds United's demolition of Bristol City

Lee Johnson has revealed he watched Leeds United's 3-1 demolition of Bristol City last August numerous times in a bid to better himself as a head coach.

The former Robins manager was relieved of his duties last month after a four and a half year spell in charge at Ashton Gate.

Johnson was the Championship's longest serving manager before his dismissal as the club's play-off ambitions faltered with results in decline following the season break amid the coronavirus pandemic.

United travelled to face City on the opening day of the 2019-20 campaign as Leeds re-announced their promotion ambitions following play-off heartbreak at the hands of Derby County just months earlier.

Pablo Hernandez, Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison all struck with Marcelo Bielsa's men cruising to victory and all three points.

Despite a late consolation goal from Andreas Weimann the hosts were well beaten and 12 months on the visitors are now a Premier League outfit having secured the Championship crown by a 10-point margin last term.

Johnson - who has now reflected on his time with the Robins - admitted that the opening day defeat for his side stuck with him for a long time afterwards.

"I must have watched that game back about 15 times," Johnson told The Times.

"I broke down every little section of it and it was good learning. Leeds are a good side with a world-class coach. What that Leeds side has the ability to do is almost read the minds of the opponents. They're so organised.

"All the top teams have this positional psychology that drains the opponent from their game very, very quickly. Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola are masters of positional psychology.

"I've been very lucky so far to meet some very, very good coaches.

"Playing against Guardiola and then talking to him for 45 minutes just on football in the office.

"One of the nice things was he grilled me as much as I grilled him about tactics, formations, why we'd done this against them.

"He's relentless in the pursuit of excellence."