Leeds United will never shut up shop, says attack-minded coach Marcelo Bielsa after seven-goal thriller

LEEDS UNITED head coach Marcelo Bielsa has pledged that his side will not deviate from their playing style after conceding three goals en route to a dramatic 4-3 win over Fulham.
Leeds United's Helder Costa celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal.Leeds United's Helder Costa celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal.
Leeds United's Helder Costa celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal.

A Helder Costa double and strikes from Mateusz Klich and Patrick Bamford saw Leeds record their first Premier League victory since April 10, 2004 as they came out on the right side of a seven-goal thriller – seven days after being edged out 4-3 at champions Liverpool.

Leeds have now struck seven goals already in two top-flight matches. But on the debit side, they have also conceded seven times, with that development being a worrying one, according to Bielsa.

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United sauntered into a 4-1 lead shortly before the hour mark in their first home outing in the top tier in 5,978 days, but goals from substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Aleksandar Mitrovic set up a tense finale at Elland Road.

Bielsa, whose side face Sheffield United in a Yorkshire derby at Bramall Lane next Sunday lunch-time, said: “What the match showed was that we have to continue to do the things that made us successful in the first place.

“That is the best way to conserve a result rather than putting players behind the ball.

“It is an error to think that you should stop doing the things which make you successful once you are leading.

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“There is no particular motive for why we are so efficient (in goal-scoring) at the moment.

“Normally we are a team that needs to create a lot of chances to score goals and at the moment the opposite is happening.

“I do not think it is anything definitive.”

Midfield talisman Pablo Hernandez missed the game after suffering a slight groin problem in the warm-up with club record signing Rodrigo promoted to the starting line-up before being replaced at the half-time interval for tactical reasons.

Bielsa confirmed that Kiko Casilla missed Saturday’s game due to an ankle issue, with teenager Elia Caprile named on the bench as United’s substitute goalkeeper.

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