'I've seen enough': Rival defender makes Leeds United admission and sets big challenge to side

Centre-back Kal Naismith headed Bristol City level in first half stoppage time of Saturday’s Championship clash at Leeds, only for the Robins to concede again after the interval as Joel Piroe struck what proved the matchwinner in a 2-1 triumph for Daniel Farke’s Whites.

Speaking to Robins TV, Naismith drew praise for Leeds and admitted that it would be "nitpicking" to highlight anything other than a late Andres Weimann chance in assessing the opportunities his team created despite their attacking endeavour.

Naismith, though, insisted that he knew Bristol City were good enough to mix it at the top end of the division and challenged his side to do so as part of his Elland Road debrief. Providing his post-match assessment, Namismith admitted: "A little bit deflated - as usual after most defeats and they are hard to take as a footballer when you get beat. You build up to it and you come here and even more so the way we played, we were in the game.

"But we weren't us, I don't feel. We were in the game but we never went and really took it to them and had a sustained period of pressure or were good enough on the ball. I don't know, it's hard to analyse after games but disappointment.

"We started well and then they got the goal which is fine and I don't think we reacted great to the goal. They had a few where we were a bit open, they had a few chances after that, we weren't keeping the ball well enough and they are obviously a good side and created chances.

"But then to get the goal right on the stroke of half time, it just gave us almost that restart to say 'come on, we started really well, we didn't react well to the goal but now it's a level playing field again, let's go and put our foot on the gas, this is here for us.'

"And unfortunately we never, they went and got the goal and then again we got a bit fragmented and a bit open and they created more chances and thinking back, Andy Weimann missed a chance when it was blocked by the boy but then you are nitpicking. Did we do enough as a team to go and really put our foot on the gas and get back in the game again? I don't think we did."

Asked about the mentality of wanting to come to places like Leeds and put his side's own stamp on the game, Naismith declared: "If I stood here happy it would be worrying or not disappointing.

"I don't want to improve on last year and finish 12th or finish tenth. All respect to the Championship, I have never been able to play above it, never. But we can get the players, I've seen it, I've seen enough of it and I've seen enough teams, I've seen enough players, I've seen enough everything, we are good enough.

"But do we believe it? Do we do the right things? Do we do the right things on the pitch as a team at the right moment? We need to improve and that should be our aim and it is our aim. But it's easy to speak it, do you do it, that's the thing."