Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa compared to Sunday league manager in furious blast

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp discusses title race

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Former Aston Villa striker Gabi Agbonlahor has launched a scathing attack on Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa following his side’s humiliating 6-0 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. Braces from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane along with further strikes from Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk did the damage at Anfield.

Leeds are now just three points above the relegation zone and have played more games than fellow strugglers Everton, Newcastle and Burnley.

And having failed to win in their last five matches, conceding a staggering 17 goals in the process, the pressure is beginning to mount on Bielsa.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor slammed the Whites for their recent defending.

And he also suggested the Yorkshire outfit may need a change following three-and-a-half years with Bielsa at the helm.

“I’ve been saying this for a long time and people have been getting on my back for saying it, but I’ve seen Sunday league managers with better tactical awareness than Marcelo Bielsa,” Agbonlahor said.

“There’s knowing the game inside out, but then there’s managing in the Premier League when you’re playing against top, top teams and you’re going man-for-man. I mean, how many times are they going to concede over 20 shots? How many times are Leeds going to be popped?

“This is a record, to lose 6-0 and 7-0 in one season. It’s a record since, I think, 1933.

“Bielsa, I’ve been saying for a long time, yes, he got Leeds promoted, he did amazing last season. But I called it at the start of the season that he’d get second season syndrome, that everyone would find them out and enjoy playing against them.

“Look at yesterday. You’re playing against one of the best teams in the world and you’re going man-for-man. Honestly, if I was a Leeds player I’d be on the phone to my agent after the game saying ‘he’s killing us. He’s killing us’.

“Honestly, I’m baffled by Leeds. I don’t want to hear about bravery or them being an entertaining team to watch. Leeds fans are ringing in saying they want a change, and for me Bielsa could play against a World XI and would go man-for-man.

“His tactics are stubborn and he’s going to get Leeds relegated.”

Leeds next host out-of-form Tottenham on Saturday in what could represent a big opportunity to get their season back on track.

Bielsa admitted after the Liverpool loss that his side are facing a battle to avoid the drop, saying: “We are fighting relegation. Of course it worries me, how is it not going to?

“The distances between the two teams, we were never able to reduce them.

“In the second half we thought it would be difficult to play an even game but we wanted to prevent or avoid what ended up happening.”

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