Marcelo Bielsa reflects on 'fair' but 'exaggerated' Crystal Palace defeat for Leeds United

The Whites head coach reflected on a second successive 4-1 Premier League defeat.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa. (Getty)Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa. (Getty)
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa. (Getty)

Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United suffered their second 4-1 defeat in a week but the loss at Crystal Palace was a very different affair to the game against Leicester City, he said.

The Argentine saw his men dominate possession again but struggle to break through another organised defence.

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Palace, like the Foxes, attacked effectively on the break but the difference for the head coach in this game was that the scoreline was not an accurate portrayal of the encounter.

He did not suggest Leeds deserved anything from it, however.

"The defeat is fair but the difference is exaggerated," he said.

"The goals that Crystal Palace scored arrived at the times when we deserved to score.

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"The performance in the last game was not satisfactory, it left a lot of space for criticism. This game has other characteristics. In the collective, in the individual, all the aspects.

"Bielsa maintained his traditional policy of refusing to comment on refereeing decisions, after VAR ruled out a Patrick Bamford goal in the first half."

Had it stood, it would have made the score 1-1, yet the top of his shoulder was deemed offside as he pointed to where he wanted Mateusz Klich to play the ball.

"Whatever the referee whistles, he whistles and I never comment on his decision," said Bielsa.

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"If the rules need to be changed there are a lot of people dedicated to this."

Leeds must now wait a fortnight before they have an opportunity to bounce back from their second 4-1 defeat on the bounce, due to November's international break.

"All defeats are complicated," said the Argentine.

"When there are two in a row, it increases how complex it is. If in all games we concede four and only score one it is going to be a harsh reality."

The break will give Leeds a chance to bring injury victims Kalvin Phillips, Diego Llorente and Jamie Shackleton closer to match fitness, while record signing Rodrigo will be available again after testing positive for COVID-19.

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