'They have shown why they have been protagonists in the Premier League' - Marcelo Bielsa on Everton ahead of Leeds United clash

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has cautioned against judging tonight's Elland Road visitors Everton entirely on recent inconsistent results.
SECOND MEETING - Marcelo Bielsa will pit his wits and his Leeds United team against Carlo Ancelotti and Everton for the second time in the Premier League. Pic: GettySECOND MEETING - Marcelo Bielsa will pit his wits and his Leeds United team against Carlo Ancelotti and Everton for the second time in the Premier League. Pic: Getty
SECOND MEETING - Marcelo Bielsa will pit his wits and his Leeds United team against Carlo Ancelotti and Everton for the second time in the Premier League. Pic: Getty

Since the Whites got the better of Carlo Ancelotti's men in November at Goodison Park, Everton have had a decent enough time of it in the Premier League.

They have lost just two of the nine games between their meetings with Bielsa's men, but both of those losses have come in their last four outings.

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A 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City was followed by Saturday's bitterly disappointing 2-0 defeat by strugglers Newcastle United, leaving them eighth in the table, just four points ahead of Leeds.

Bielsa has been looking at performances, not results, in his preparation for tonight's clash.

"It is difficult to evaluate a team only on what they have achieved in the last few games," he said.

"Even when they lost their most recent games, those are results but during the game many things happened.

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"In those games they have shown why they have been a protagonist in the league this year. They are a team with very big players and good players, with clear behaviour."

Bielsa still regards Everton as one of the main players in the Premier League and a team capable of causing problems with their style of football.

"While they suffer the problems we all suffer - they have absences of players - I think they are one of the protagonists in the league," he said.

"The way they play is very creative."

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