Bielsa warns his Leed-ers to keep eyes on the prize
LEEDS boss Marcelo Bielsa warned of future distractions as his side took a step closer to the Promised Land.
Goals from leading scorer Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich did the damage as the on-song Whites moved four points clear of title rivals West Brom with five games to go.
But Leeds are desperate not to make the same mistake as last season and miss out on a return to the top flight for the first time since 2004.
“This period is very important and every distraction is because we’ll pay for that,” said Bielsa, whose side have lost just one of their last 10 games.
Bradley Johnson gave the visitors an early scare when he rifled a stinging long-range drive straight at keeper Illan Meslier.
But Leeds took the lead four minutes later thanks to Bamford’s clinical finish.
Recalled Lewis Travis was caught sleeping, Klich stole the ball off him and teed-up Bamford who picked out the bottom left corner with a sweet strike for his third goal in five games and 15th of a productive season.
Rovers should have been level moments later but Sam Gallagher, one of two changes by boss Tony Mowbray, squandered a glorious chance. The forward latched on to an Adam Armstrong pass but dragged his shot horribly wide of the left post.
Gallagher set up Lewis Holtby a minute later but he fired a shot against the right post.
Rovers right-back Ryan Nyambe, making his 100th league start, made a superb block to charge down Tyler
Roberts’ point-blank effort before Bamford smashed a shot off the left post.
Joe Rothwell curled a right-foot shot over the bar for Rovers but a moment of brilliance from playmaker Phillips put the Whites in the driving seat.
His stunning free-kick flew into the top-left corner and gave keeper Christian Walton no chance five minutes before the break.
Phillips turned villain immediately after the restart, though, when he conceded a clumsy free-kick on the edge of his own box. Armstrong stepped up and curled a wonderful dead ball into the top-right corner.
Klich restored the gap when he snuck a shot past Walton into the left corner.
Walton was lucky to stay on after he fouled Bamford on the edge of his box but he made amends to deny Barry Douglas with a fine one-handed save from the resulting free-kick.
A frustrated Mowbray said: “We conceded soft goals but their third goal was a killer for us.
“They came with an attitude and belief they were going to win but it’s frustrating because we missed chances.
“Was the gap massive? I don’t think so. I think we could have got something from the game.”