Leeds United v Manchester United - Marcelo Bielsa press conference every word
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The Roses rivals are locking horns for the fourth time since Leeds returned to the Premier League and Bielsa's Whites were walloped 5-1 at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture over the first weekend of the current season back in August.
Leeds sit down in 15th place and will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's extremely disappointing 3-0 defeat at Everton whereas the fourth-placed Red Devils will be out to build on Tuesday night's 2-0 win at home to Brighton.
Bielsa faced the press at 9am this morning and here is everything that was said by the Whites head coach.
Leeds United v Manchester United - Marcelo Bielsa press conference every word - RECAP
Key Events
- Sunday 2pm kick-off at Elland Road
Good morning
First and foremost stay safe as Storm Eunice hits. Marcelo Bielsa’s pre-Manchester United press conference is coming up at 9am and every word that is said will follow here, injury news again top of the list - Bamford, Phillips, Cooper, Firpo, Dallas, Hjelde and Greenwood. Oh, and facing Leeds United’s arch rivals on Sunday afternoon.
Is this the perfect game after the Everton loss to give everyone a massive lift by getting three points?
“A classic game is always a challenge that is very motivating.”
How much of an achievement would it be just to keep Leeds in the Premier League this season with all the injuries?
“It’s an obligation and the injuries don’t justify the season that we are having.”
There’s a lot of speculation about your future, can you provide any clarity and whether you will sign a new contract - you normally wait until the end of the season, is that something you will do again?
“It’s not a subject which we should talk about in this moment.”
Injuries latest
“Kalvin and Cooper continue their normal processes, the objective is that they get to March available. The medical calculation was 12 weeks and that hasn’t changed. Dallas is recovering, he hasn’t been discarded from Sunday’s game. And Hjelde has an injury in his knee and if the process in the next three weeks is effective he would be available in that term but it could happen that he may not recover in those 20 days which would result in him having to have a surgery.”
On Tyler Roberts - what would you say to fans that are criticising him and the use of him - are you seeing something else?
“I see the same things that the fans do. I think that what they ask of him is always justified, what they are claiming, they are based on evaluating the player that plays and giving him a qualification. If the qualification is not positive, they demand another option. That happened with Bamford, that happened with James with Rodrigo in his moment and now with Tyler so I have to admit or accept the claims. Of course I am always subject to the external evaluation and I always have auto criticism but evidently it is not sufficient and it is necessary that I take on more responsibility than I did before. I don’t imagine how to do it.”
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