Leeds United v Watford - Marcelo Bielsa press conference on Kalvin Phillips future amid reported Manchester United interest and injury updates

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa is facing the media today ahead of Saturday's clash against Watford at Elland Road - and we will bring you all the latest news here.
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The Whites are still seeking their first win of the new Premier League season whereas Watford sit in 12th place having already bagged two victories under boss Xisco Munoz.

Leeds are third bottom on just three points following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at home to West Ham.

Marcelo is speaking to the press at 1pm and all of the latest news will follow here after the press conference's conclusion.

Leeds United v Watford: Marcelo Bielsa press conference RECAP

Key Events

  • Marcelo Bielsa facing the media at 1pm.
  • Watford visit Elland Road for a Saturday 3pm kick-off.
  • Leeds still seeking first win of new Premier League season.

Here’s hoping your day is better than the weather. Marcelo will be with us at 1pm and all of the latest news will follow here as it is said by United’s head coach. All about the injury news.

While we wait, a major blow for Watford...

Marcelo will be with us in the next couple of minutes

Here we go, Marcelo takes his seat. Live updates to follow.

“Raphinha is available, Bamford isn’t. And another player who was injured who is available is Llorente.”

How important is getting that first win and what has been your message this week?

“It’s always important to win especially when you have gone six games without winning and if you occupy one of the last three positions in the table even more so and the other reference is that performances that go in the opposite direction to these negative aspects, it’s the support to come back from this situation.”

Phillips set for another England call - has he elevated his game to a new level and is he now showing leadership skills too?

“Kalvin’s passage through with the national team and the evaluation of his game, clearly allows him to have a leadership within the team. When a player performs, that improvement in his performance is perceived by everybody and one of the consequences is that to be able to do what you did before you have to make more of an effort because the opponents see that he is a player that is shining, that is performing, and they do their utmost to neutralise it and that demands that to elevate his game that he has to make more of an effort.”

More on the injuries - to Ayling, Bamford and Koch

“Bamford has an ankle injury that is surely going to take him a few more weeks to resolve, it hasn’t been a simple injury and it will likely take him from the period from when he was injured to when he returns around a month. Ayling has a problem in his knee that is going to require a simple surgical intervention that will also require some time after this procedure is done. Koch has a problem in his pubis which is a very rebellious injury where there is no prognostic of when he will be recovered because it can last a short period of time or a long period of time so that is subject to his evolution.”

On confidence with the players - need restoring?

“The players have not lost confidence so there is no need to give something that is already conserved and already there. What we do in every case is to perceive the errors and try and to try and correct them.”

On Lewis Bate getting better and better - what have you thought to his evolution since arriving?

“I think exactly the same as you said, he is a player that performs better every time in the games that he is a part of. He is a player that is constantly managing the ball and he doesn’t lose it very often and he has got a good sense of a pass, he can thread it through the needle.”

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