‘Of course it worries me’; Bielsa ‘can’t explain’ capitulation but makes Leeds pledge
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted that he is concerned about the possibility of being relegated after watching his side crash at Liverpool.
The Whites were put away with ruthless ease as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both bagged two goals. Salah netted twice from the penalty spot in the first 45 minutes. And Joel Matip scored a rare goal, starting and finishing a sublime move involving Salah.
The Reds eased off after the break but finished in style as Mane found the net on 80 and 90 minutes. Virgil van Dijk emphasised the gap between the sides when he headed home unchallenged to make it 6-0 in stoppage time.
Bielsa was honest in his appraisal of the match. And he admitted that Liverpool were streets ahead of his charges.
“The distances between the two teams we were never able to reduce them,” he told BT Sport. “In the second half we thought it would be difficult to play an even game but we wanted to prevent or avoid what ended up happening.
“A result like today you can’t explain it with the absences.”
And the Argentinian knows that he and his men are now in a fight for survival at the wrong end of the standings.
“We are fighting relegation,” he added. “Of course it worries me, how is it not going to?”
Bielsa urges Leeds fight
Leeds sit 15th in the Premier league table, with 23 points from 25 games played. They have taken just one point from their last five games and are just three points better off than 18th-placed Burnley.
The relegation battle is heating up with the bottom three all picking up points in recent times. Only Newcastle and Everton stand between the Yorkshire club and the drop zone.
Both those clubs have at least one game in hand on Leeds. And Bielsa pulled no punches in what his side must now do until the end of the campaign.
“My reaction is disappointment given the result we have obtained,” he told BBC Sport. “It has been difficult for us to adapt to the opponents and it has been difficult for us to get the ball to our forwards with clarity.
“We need to defend better and attack better – both things. We will fight to defend our position.”
Leeds are next in action when the entertain Tottenham on Saturday.
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