Marcelo Bielsa's verdict on Leeds United's 'deserved win' over Norwich City

The Whites have had a difficult start to the season and were far from their fluid best against a Norwich City side who have yet to win since returning to the Premier League this season.

But quality goals from Raphinha and Rodrigo in a five-minute spell which saw Andrew Omobamidele score after what Bielsa caused an “avoidable error” saw them to their first away win of the league campaign.

“The performance was a deserved victory, the game was very (closely) disputed,” he reflected. “It wasn’t an easy game to play for us.

“We had many situations where we could have created danger but despite that we didn’t manage to create that many chances. Of the chances we did obtain there wasn’t a great percentage that we could transform into a goal.”

Omobamidele equalised from a corner created by some sloppy play by Illan Meslier.

“That they scored so quickly and due to the way they obtained that goal, we should interpret it as an avoidable error,” conceded Bielsa.

Meslier’s mistake, conceding a corner when attempting a simple pass was symptomatic of some of the nervousness in Leeds’s play seen more in the first half having gone into the game in the relegation zone.

“The question of where the team’s season is going is always present,” said Bielsa of the pressure they were under. “Of course they’re more justified when we put together negative results.

“But it’s part of our job to manage these moments and maintain the calm to transmit confidence and security in the unstable moments.

“Doubt in a footballer is linked to the possibility of making a mistake.

“The players always always live with the uncertainty of making an error or doing something right that belongs to any creative game.

“When you go resolving situations that are slightly above what you think you are capable of, it increases your esteem. This is a process the players know exactly that it happens and how to go through it.

“I try to go with them in those normal, unstable moments of a human being.”

Leeds tried four centre-forwards at different stages, starting with Jack Harrison, then Dan James and Rodrigo, individually and as a pair, and ended the game with Tyler Roberts as his No 9. Speed down the sides was his main objective from the front men.

“I imagine a No 9 that’s agile like the wingers, able to find spaces between the three centre-backs, to the side of the right centre-back, to the sides of the No 5 (Grant Hanley),” he explained. “(Omobamidele) played more as a marker on Raphinha and I had the impression that James, as well as Harrison, could find passes in behind.”