Marcelo Bielsa remains content to play the long game when it comes to Patrick Bamford and Deepdale saviour Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah came off the bench to level for Leeds late on (Pic: Getty)

Speaking after a 1-1 draw at Preston in which Nketiah replaced Bamford late on and grabbed an equaliser for the Whites, Bielsa reiterated again that he has not seen enough of the two strikers as a pair in training.

Bamford was guilty of a number of misses at Deepdale, before Nketiah came on and took the one opportunity that came his way to rescue a point for the visitors.

Bielsa admitted Leeds could have left with all three but, yet again, were wasteful.

"After the draw, we had a sensation that we could have won the match as well," he said.

"What is clear is that the opponent doesn't need to command the match to create danger.

"We dominated a lot, we commanded the match, we created a lot of danger, but it is difficult for us to unbalance the match.

"When the match ends in a draw, we had a lot of chances to score and it seemed difficult today to score.

"When it comes to my job here in Leeds, we could write a book about these kinds of situations."

The Bamford and Nketiah conundrum was an inevitable part of the post-match discussion.

Bielsa likes both players but says they are yet to prove they should be strike partners from the start.

"We have never proved this kind of combination in our training," said the Argentine.

"In the international break, Nketiah is not with us, because we play twice a week and when we prepare in the week there are few spaces to try these kinds of things.

"When you have a series of bad results and you have to find a different solution, that [kind of series] hasn't happened."

Bielsa says he understands the debate surrounding the strikers but feels it is counter productive for them both.

And he repeated his vow to take responsibility if he can't get the best out of both of them.

"I think that all this around Bamford and Nketiah doesn't help both of them.

"It is natural that people argue about my decision because they don't have all the reasons I have.

"I want both of them to be a success this year.

"We have 46 matches or 50 matches.

"We are in the first 25 per cent of the competition. I think that we have time so I can find a way that both of them shine.

"If this doesn't happen, it is going to be a mistake of mine."