Jermaine Beckford singles out Leeds player who left him frustrated in Leicester City defeat

The 30-year-old was given the task of deputising for the injured Kalvin Phillips in a defensive midfield capacity, but regularly looked as if he lacked the positional discipline needed to properly fulfil the role.

The Poland international then went on to concede a stoppage time penalty that Youri Tielemans stepped up to convert, extinguishing any faint hopes of a late Leeds fightback at Elland Road.

Marcelo Bielsa also opted to start Pablo Hernandez in the centre of the park alongside Jamie Shackleton, and Beckford has argued that the veteran Spaniard’s lack of mobility – combined with Klich’s underwhelming display – was a costly factor for the Whites.

Speaking on the Doing a Leeds podcast, the former striker said: “My frustration – and don’t get me wrong for a second, I’m not a manager, I’m not a coach or anything – but watching the match, just watching the position of Klich in the centre of midfield, the holding centre mid, he wasn’t comfortable there.

"It's not his position. He’s more of an advanced player. He’s a box-to-box player, he needs to get forwards and back. I think he would have been suited to playing a little bit more advanced.

"I think Pascal [Struijk] should have been playing in that holding role because it’s where he plays naturally more so, and I wouldn’t have started with Pablo [Hernandez], if I’m honest. I would have brought Pablo on for the last half an hour, just because I know how Leicester like to put the overloads in the midfield and they get runners into the counter-attack. There was no way he was going to keep up with them.

"It’s frustrating, don’t get me wrong, because he’s a magician when he does have the ball.”

Monday night’s game was the second that Phillips has been absent from since he damaged ligaments in his shoulder after an awkward fall during the 1-0 loss to Wolves last month.

Against Aston Villa, Bielsa opted to start Pascal Struijk in defensive midfield, but substituted the Dutchman in the 21st minute after he picked up an early yellow card.