After a 1-1 draw against Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United, the pressure has crept in on Leeds United and their manager, Marcelo Bielsa. In the five Premier League games, the Elland Road outfit has gone winless, which has become a cause for concern.
In the Leeds vs Newcastle fixture, a lot of shots were fired by both teams. Newcastle United had seven shots on target (19 shots in total), whereas Leeds had nine shots on target (22 shots in total). Despite their efforts, Leeds failed to take home all three points on Friday.
Is it time to worry about their form?
Leeds have three points from the first 15 available. They got demolished on opening day in their meeting against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Leeds played out an entertaining 2-2 draw against Everton thereafter, before taking home a point against Burnley at Turf Moor.
In the fourth gameweek, Liverpool battered them 3-0 at Elland Road. Against a struggling Newcastle, they failed to register a victory despite making early inroads.
This comes as a cause of concern for a team that finished in the top half of the table standings last season and is supposed to have one of the best managers in England.
What is happening with Marcelo Bielsa?
Leeds appointed Bielsa at the start of the 2018/19 campaign; he brought a paradigm shift into the team’s playing philosophy and converted them to a more attacking side.
"Leeds United are pleased to confirm Marcelo Bielsa has signed a new contract to remain in charge at Elland Road. The Argentine has agreed a fresh one-year-deal, running until the end of the 2021/22 season. Bielsa took over Leeds ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and completely transformed the club’s fortunes on the pitch, creating a unique and relentless attacking philosophy. (Via: Leeds United)"
The Whites came close to promotion but failed at the last hurdle. However, in the 2019/20 campaign, Leeds made it back to the top-flight after 16 years – making sure they win the league to gain promotion.
Last season, Leeds finished 9th on the PL table with 59 points. This end-of-season-standing was thanks to 18 wins and five draws. Bielsa never cared about his team’s position in the game; the team attacked relentlessly regardless if they were leading the game or chasing it.
Who will Leeds play in the next three games? How many points can they collect?
Leeds United next three fixtures:
- Leeds United vs West Ham United – 25th September
- Leeds United vs Watford – 2nd October
- Southampton vs Leeds United – 16th October
The Elland Road outfit will play: West Ham United, Watford, and Southampton in the next three games in the English top-flight. Before playing their third game against the Saints, the players will go out for an international break.
From the aforementioned three games, we expect the Whites to take home at least six points. The game against David Moyes’ Hammers will be one to watch out for – the Hammers are in fine form in the English Premier League.
The injury issues for Leeds United and when will their first-team starters return?
One of the major reasons behind the Yorkshire outfit’s poor run is due to injuries to key players. Raphinha, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Junior Firpo, and Cody Drameh are the players who have missed at least one game for the Whites.
However, the good news is that all of them have returned from their respective injuries and now, they face the race against time to get match fit.
It’s very early to arrive at a conclusion regarding Leeds’ form in the English top-flight. Compared to the season they got relegated from the English Premier League (2003/04), they have collected two points less from the initial five games.
The fans are back at stadiums; their presence and their voice will have an enormous impact on the board if things go south. But I do believe Leeds and Bielsa will find a way to survive.
How much more time should be given to Marcelo Bielsa? Should he be worried about his position as Leeds manager already?