MATCH STATS

PEP GUARDIOLA might not be convinced by Jack Harrison – but Marcelo Bielsa knows he’s a diamond that continues to sparkle.

This is Harrison’s third season on loan at Leeds after returning to Manchester City following three years in the Big Apple at New York City.

And although he might never get a chance at The Etihad, Harrison is improving all the time and Bielsa hopes he can snap up the Stoke-born star this summer.

Speed-merchant Harrison showed his quality again in this captivating Yorkshire derby as his recent talks with a sports psychologist provided instant dividends. He took action after going seven games without a goal and just one assist.

But whatever was said worked a treat as he bagged the Leeds opener and set up the winner – an unfortunate own goal by Phil Jagielka.

Harrison said: “It’s just a change of perspective for some players when maybe you are going through a bit of a rough patch.

“You know you’re doing everything you can but it’s just not working.

“So I think you have to try a few alternative solutions and that was one of the things that I found has helped me. I would recommend it to anyone.

“I think we can be happy with how the season has gone so far and I think there will be a lot of proud Leeds fans out there. But we’re always going to be ambitious as a team and it would be great to finish in the top half of the table.”

Bielsa is fully behind Harrison’s bid to think outside the box.

“If he thinks it is necessary and he takes benefit from it, then its a useful tool to use,” said the Argentine.

Although victory took Leeds past the 40 point mark, Bielsa isn’t sure it’s enough – with tough games against both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Tottenham on the horizon.

He said: “I’m still not convinced 40 points will be enough especially with 24 still to play for. We won’t have a definitive picture of our season until the end.” Leeds, though, will be more than safe even if they need to be more ruthless when they have opponents on the rack.

Blades caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom might have thought he could follow West Brom’s lead at Chelsea by catching Leeds on an off day after the international break.

But they were in no mood to slip up on derby day even if Elland Road was empty. They were full of pace, energy and invention and the game should have been over in the first half, with Bielsa’s dominant stars carving out good chances.

If not for Blades’ star man Aaron Ramsdale it would have been much worse, with the keeper making early saves to deny Kalvin Phillips and the impressive Stuart Dallas as Leeds served notice of their intent.

Eventually, though, incessant pressure from the hosts paid off with the doomed South Yorkshiremen falling behind after 12 minutes.

Tyler Roberts played in Raphinha who darted to the by-line and teed up

Harrison for the easiest goal he will ever score.

It was his seventh of the season – the most he has scored in any campaign – and it put the Blades on the back foot.

Ramsdale denied Harrison another with a finger-tip save before George Baldock was helped off with concussion after a challenge on Roberts that could have brought a red card.

The Blades didn’t fold and gave themselves a lifeline with a Ben Osborn goal in first-half injury time.

But minutes after the restart Leeds were back in front as Jagielka diverted Harrison’s cross into his own net with Raphinha lurking behind.

Despite surviving pressure, the Blades battled on and created late chances through Jayden Bogle and Rhian Brewster, but couldn’t find a goal. Heckingbottom said: “The effort and the fight was there but there were too many moments where we lacked quality.”