Leeds United v Wigan Athletic: Marcelo Bielsa wary of 'protagonists' approach of Latics

MARCELO Bielsa insists today's visitors Wigan Athletic have the potential to be further up the table with the Leeds United head coach wary of a side that became "protagonists" against leaders Norwich City.
CAPABLE: Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook.CAPABLE: Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook.
CAPABLE: Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook.

Fourth-bottom Wigan are just a point above the Championship dropzone with Paul Cook's men arriving at Elland Road with the worst away record in the division of just seven points from 21 games.

The Latics have won just once on their travels at this term - at Stoke City back in August - and Wigan have savoured victory in just one of their last 12 games home or away.

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Yet seven of those last dozen contests ended in draws with Cook's side holding leaders Norwich to a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium and going close to taking all three points.

"They played one game where they tried to be the protagonist in the game with ambition," said Bielsa.

"It was a positive game for them.

"This is a team with possibilities for how they play is better than their league position.

"This situation has been repeated in the Championship.

"It’s something produced every week.

"Sometimes the teams at the top are playing teams in worse positions, but after you see the game, you don’t see this difference about the level of the teams.

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"The final conclusion is the difficulty in each game does not have the link with the position of the table that the two teams have."

Leeds sit second in that table with just four games to go and ten points from United's final four fixtures would see them achieve automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites are three points ahead of Sheffield United who take on Nottingham Forest at Bramall Lane today.

Victory against Wigan would also take the Whites one point behind leaders Norwich City who host Sheffield Wednesday in tonight's evening kick-off.

Bielsa. though, is not focused on title talk.

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"Our objective is to be focused for the three points that we play for in each game," said the Leeds head coach.

"After every game we have to adapt to the new reality that is the table.

"And that's to be focused to win the three points in each game."

"We need to be focused on the game we are playing without thinking about the other games we have to play.

"Don’t be focused on the next games that we are going to play in the future and don't be focused in the games that the opponents are playing."