Leeds have hit back and found belief in the hunt for promotion, maintains Bielsa
MARCELO Bielsa thinks recent results have helped to restore confidence in Leeds’ Championship promotion push.
Back-to-back 1-0 home wins against Bristol City and Reading have seen Leeds open up a five-point gap over third-placed Fulham.
Bielsa’s side had previously won only two of the last 11 league games as their push to finish in the top two resembled signs of last season’s failure.
Leeds head to Middlesbrough tonight looking for three straight victories for the first time in 2020 and the head coach said: “There are two kinds of doubt; the doubt related to the result and the doubt about how the team play.
“Usually managers pay more attention to how the teams play and supporters care more about results. When you have good results all around the team, it strengthens the confidence.
“I didn’t see big change. What I can tell you is that football is a discipline where maybe you have the same performance but get different results.”
Boro, managed by former Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate, have slipped towards the relegation zone after eight league matches without a win, but he still feels he can cause an upset against his old club.
“Leeds are an exceptional team and they have proved that all season — but I think we can beat them,” he told reporters at his press conference.
Fulham will be hoping to keep pace with Leeds when they host Swansea. The Cottagers have gone three games without a win in the Championship and host a side who have won just one of their last six matches.
Wigan have given their survival fight a boost in recent weeks with three wins and two draws in their last six fixtures and they will be hoping to maintain that run against Reading.
Back-to-back wins for Barnsley has also given them hope of avoiding the drop and the Tykes would drag Hull closer to trouble with another victory at the KCOM Stadium. The Tigers are in freefall after an eight-game winless run, which has included six defeats.
Blackburn host Michael O’Neill’s Stoke, who themselves need the points sitting just three points above the bottom three, while Sheffield Wednesday will hope to halt their six-game run without a win when they welcome Charlton.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett will take on his former club when in-form Birmingham arrive at The Den looking to extend their 11-match unbeaten run.