Two dropped points but ‘maximum ambition’ for Leeds United’s Marcelo Bielsa

Leeds United’s seven-match winning run in the Championship came to an end in unlikely circumstances when they threw away a 3-0 lead to draw with 10-man Cardiff City in the final half-hour at Elland Road, but having reviewed the video this week, the head coach is happy with much of what he saw.

“We are sorry because we lost two points,” reflected Bielsa. “But we cannot say anything to the players.

“I always doubt what I think but when I look at the match and see the points I put to each player, the notes and values we give to them, the evaluation of people outside Leeds and the media, the performance was one of the better performances we have had over the last two seasons.

“We lost two points we should have won. What we have is maximum ambition.”

The Whites cannot afford to dwell on two dropped points because they have a difficult run of fixtures.

They play promotion hopefuls Fulham, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion in the next four matches (the other is at Birmingham City). First up is tomorrow’s trip to Craven Cottage.

“Fulham are a similar team to us,” commented Bielsa. “The values we had last season, this season Fulham are the same – possession, chances, quantity of shooting – they are one of the best teams in the Championship.

“This is a great challenge for us. We need to fix our position in the opposite half against a great opponent.”

Liam Cooper is fit again after calf trouble but Bielsa was giving no clues at to whether the centre-back will start on Saturday.

Tyler Roberts and Jamie Shackleton will be back in training next week, but there is still no timescale on Adam Forshaw’s return from a hip injury.