Marcelo Bielsa says Leeds United deserved to beat Newcastle United after 1-1 draw

Marcelo Bielsa felt his Leeds United side deserved to take their first win of the season from their trip to Newcastle United.

The lilac-shirted Whites had 64 per cent of the ball and 21 of the 38 shots in an entertainingly open game.

"It was a game that according to what happened we should have won," insisted the Argentinian coach. "We had a lot of opportunities to score. A lot of options did not end in danger, but could have been converted into danger.

"True, the opponent had chances, fewer than us.

CHANCES: Leeds United celebrate opening the scoring but they were unable to add to itCHANCES: Leeds United celebrate opening the scoring but they were unable to add to it
CHANCES: Leeds United celebrate opening the scoring but they were unable to add to it
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"We dominated the game and they counter-attacked. I insist given the chances we had, we deserved to win the game."

If Bielsa had a complaint, it was that his side allowed Newcastle, who had goalscorer Allan Saint-Maximin in very hard to contain form as the lone centre-forward.

"I would have hoped to reduce the amount of chances they created," admitted Bielsa. "That would have established a bigger margin. The difference between the two teams existed but could have been bigger, a lot bigger, if two things had happened.

"If we had prevented some actions they created that were avoidable and increased our efficiency on one side and the capacity to have created unfavourable conditions, more danger.

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"I don’t think there was so many (though). A team who defences up the pitch, we leave 40m in behind. That allows us to play in their half and have the ball a lot.

"Unbalancing the opponent was through their 10, who was always marked. The one that marked him always had a team-mate close by. I have to admit he had the capacity to overcome our defensive structure at times."

Neither Leeds nor Newcastle have won a Premier League game this season, the Whites drawing three of their five matches.

The absentees are mounting for Leeds's small squad. Jack Harrison missed the game with Covid-19, causing Dan James to make his full debut, Raphinha went off with a hip injury, allowing Crysencio Summerville to make his first appearance for the club and their centre-back difficulties mounted when Luke Ayling went off injured.

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"We have four centre-backs and Ayling is a fifth," said Bielsa. "To resolve the absence of four of them will be complicated.

"The same with the wingers. We count on James, Harrison, Raphinha and Summerville. To lose two of them will make it difficult to resolve. I always have confidence we will find the solutions."

On 19-year-old Summerville, he commented: "He didn't have too many minutes (22, plus stoppage time), he had few chances to unbalance them but he did show personality, he asked for the ball, he didn't lose it. He gave continuity to the possession but clearly he wasn't able to unbalance them."