Liverpool's heavy metal football struggles to drown out Bielsaball as Leeds United grace main stage with champions - Graham Smyth's Verdict

Bodies flew forward and backward with reckless abandon to a soundtrack of duelling maestros, Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp producing an instant classic with their respective relentless styles of attacking football. It was Bielsaball versus 'heavy metal football' in the headline slot of the Premier League's Saturday bill.

The scoreline was 4-3 in Liverpool's favour, the result was a Whites fanbase once again in awe of what their team had just done, this time against the champions of England.

Yet while all around him were smiles and heads shaking in appreciation, Bielsa wasn't having fun.

"I can never be happy in defeat," said the man who has led Leeds to the promised land but could not comprehend the idea of lying down in green pastures to enjoy the vista. Everyone associated with Elland Road ached for a top flight return, Bielsa clearly did too but his ache for more wins still gnaws, regardless of the league or the level of the opposition.

"We play every game the same way, always trying to deserve the victory playing better than the opponent," he said ahead of a game against one of the world's best teams.

"We don't ignore the difficulties, but we're not going to lie down. It's not a question of vanity, it's a question of conviction in the style of play. It's the only way we play."

For the hard of hearing or the sceptical, Bielsa repeated his message through the performance of his side and the familiar way they went about their business with and without the ball, in a madcap first half.

They had to show real character to do so, too.

Liverpool are a side of such quality that they need no breaks, yet the first one went in their favour. Mo Salah's shot deflected off the knee of debutant Robin Koch and up onto his outstretched arm. Michael Oliver must have missed the deflection for he pointed to the spot and a speedy VAR check somehow agreed with his assessment. Salah thrashed the penalty high into the net.

What is a newly-promoted side to do at the home of the champions when a goal down after four minutes? The same thing they always do - try to take over the game.

Kalvin Phillips looked up and saw what he always sees and did what he always does, pinging a ball down the left for a Jack Harrison well on his way towards goal. The winger did the rest, tiptoeing through the challenge of Trent Alexander-Arnold to slam in a Premier League goal with his right foot. It showed England supporters what Phillips is really all about and showed the English Premier League what Leeds can do.

It was call and response stuff, each team taking turns to impose themselves to good effect.

Koch couldn't clear bodies from his path in order to track the run of Virgil van Dijk and the Liverpool defender headed home decisively.

What was quickly becoming apparent was that a game of all-out attack called for efficiency and clinical finishing, so when Patrick Bamford was played in behind the defence by Luke Ayling and failed to seize the moment, he could probably hear his band of critics tuning up, even in the eerie atmosphere of an empty Anfield.

Before they were in full swing, he was in full stride, running onto van Dijk's dithering touch and rolling it past Alisson with his weaker foot.

Leeds were level for all of three minutes, Pascal Struijk, a game-day stand-in for the injured Liam Cooper, seeing his clearing header fall into the path of the worst possible recipient, Salah's bullet of a shot leaving Illan Meslier helpless.

The two sides walked off to give everyone watching a breather after 45 wild minutes and a chance to try and work out exactly what was going on. Klopp was adamant after the game that he always expected Leeds to cause his men problems but not even the Reds boss could have foreseen a 3-2 scoreline at the break.

Early moments in the second half suggested that the natural order was threatening to take hold, Meslier forced into a big stop by Georginio Wijnaldum and then brought to the edge of his area to clear from the marauding Salah.

Liverpool had the air of a side intent on taking control but Leeds, again, reverted to type and played the hits. Nothing displayed Bielsa's philosophy more than the way they flicked and tricked their way out of pressure. One quick-passing move was particularly reminiscent of the one that brought Tyler Roberts' goal at the KCOM last season. If you can do it against Hull, why can't you do it against Liverpool?

And why can't Mateusz Klich, who earlier this summer laughed with his friends in disbelief at the prospect of playing in the top flight, pop up all over the pitch and score goals, against the very best?

The Polish midfielder sprayed the ball out to the right to Helder Costa, ghosted into the box undetected on a blindside run and when the ball was returned, controlled it and thumped it beyond Alisson.

In a year the world will remember as a nightmare, Klich and Leeds have largely lived in dreamland and as they rebuffed Liverpool attacks in the final stages, threatened to extend their stay.

It wasn't until the 88th minute that they were rudely awoken as Liverpool turned up the volume and finally drowned out Bielsaball.

Rodrigo, a £27m record signing, was full of running and earnest defending on his Whites debut as a second half substitute, but for all his pedigree and Champions League experience he still fell foul of the clichéd striker's tackle, clumsily felling Fabinho in the box.

Salah got a deserved hat-trick to cap a masterful performance, Bielsa called Liverpool 'just winners' and Leeds left with nothing but Klopp's respect and the knowledge that they graced the main stage with the champions and refused to be blown away.

It wasn't note perfect, struggles from set-pieces will have to be addressed because, as Bielsa said afterwards, 'errors equal goals' at this level but there was more than enough evidence to suggest that he can still get a tune out of these players in the top flight.

As opening acts go, this game will be a hard one to follow but who doesn't want to see an encore?