Leeds United's Marcelo Bielsa takes blame as Hull City produce their best peformance for Grant McCann

The Tigers needed a sudden-death penalty shoot-out to knock Premier League newcomers Leeds out of the League Cup, but in truth they deserved to go through in 90 minutes, having much the better of the game before Ezgjan Alioski's stoppage-time equaliser secured a 1-1 draw the hosts did not deserve.

It was a Whites team with 11 changes from the side thrillingly beaten at Anfield, although that did mean a full debut for £27m club record signing Rodrigo.

"It wasn't a very good game from our team,” admitted Bielsa. “We didn't defend well or attack well.

"Collectively the team didn't have coordination. We didn't win our duels. We weren't progressive enough with our passes.

"The players didn't gel together very well. This is the responsibility of the coach and as a result I feel responsible."

It was a total contrast with the mood in the Hull camp.

“I think that's the best performance I've seen as the manager of the club,” said McCann. “I told the boys that after the game.

“I'm really proud of the boys because they are fit and they can run. I think that's going to be a key factor for us.

“To come to Elland Road and have the chances we had against still a strong team on the pitch, we're really, really pleased with the whole team performance.”

Mallik Wilks was outstanding at centre-forward, and McCann hopes to use him there more often.

“We used him quite a bit there for Doncaster,” he pointed out. “He can run in behind he's quick., he's strong, he can hold people off.

“That's why we've been looking for two wide players and we're still looking for another one. It's a position we think he can be really, really effective in in this division and he played it through Leeds's academy, he went to Grimsby as a nine and Accrington as a nine. It was only when he came to Doncaster we moved him to the right of a front three.

“We like all our front players to be able to play two or three positions so we can move them around to affect teams.”

The Tigers have competition in every position, and players full of confidence.

“We want competition, this group know they're all fighting for each other and the ones who don't get the shirt on Saturday will be 100 per cent behind the team,” said McCann.

“It was nice to add good characters to the group, good people first and foremost and that's really, really important for me.

“We've been positive since the end of last season and that was the key. I've spoken before about trying to change the losing culture and that's not easy to but what we have is a very good group of players willing to learn, willing to take messages on board and deliver a gameplan like we showed tonight and at Gillingham.

“The two games have lacked a wee bit of atmosphere in the penalties because it's the fans that make them really exciting but the boys have shown real composure. We've had 15 penalties and missed one.”

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James Mitchinson