The best attacking team in the Championship? What Reading's Jose Gomes had to say about Leeds United

Bielsa told Gomes to persist with his tactics and replicate the style his developed at Rio Ave, the team in Portugal where Reading recruited Gomes from in December. It occured to the 48-year-old then that Bielsa and his staff had been analysing more than his short time in charge of Reading.

Leeds outclassed Reading at the Madejski Stadium, scoring three times before half-time and wrapping up victory without hitting top gear. Gomes, who has given his squad a fighting chance of avoiding relegation, was complimentary about the attacking prowess which blew Reading away.

“It was a very good game,” he said. “We played against a very strong team, maybe one of the strongest offensive dynamics in this league: very good movement with intensity and very fast movements between the players. They switch to the ball to the other corridor very easily and put nine players in their attacks.

“We started well and in the moment when we conceded the first goal we didn’t deserve it. But with four shots on goal they scored three goals and the quality they have in the players who play forward is difficult to stop; the mobility they have.”

Gomes, like Bielsa, is coaching in England for the first time and Reading face a concerted fight to avoid dropping into League One.

Bielsa took time to speak with him afterwards and Gomes said: “He was saying ‘you should keep working because with time you can get your team playing like your previous team in Portugal’, which means he watched my team in Portugal. That is normal!

“That’s why he said this - we are on a good track. All of the coaches in the world know him. He’s an important manager in football history.”