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Leeds 2-1 Bolton

James Nalton reports from Elland Road

LEEDS United’s impressive start under Marcelo Bielsa continued in the League Cup on Tuesday night, where a much-changed side was able to see off Bolton Wanderers 2-1.

He put out just three players from the Championship XI that has managed two convincing victories to start the league season.

This cup line-up, containing Jack Harrison loaned from Manchester City, plus Chelsea loanees Lewis Baker and Jamal Blackman, wasn’t quite as fluid in Bielsa’s methods as the one it replaced, but the side was still able to progress.

New signing Patrick Bamford opened the scoring for Leeds, nutmegging Jack Hobbs before sliding his finish into the corner. Crowd favourite Samu Saiz doubled the lead before half time following Baker’s surging counter-attack. 

The Argentine boss was worried for much of the second half, as Bolton pulled a goal back through Erhun Oztumer just after the break. 

“When we are winning by just one goal, it's not enough, so when this happens you are always a little bit worried,” said Bielsa.

“Generally speaking, the offensive performance of our team was good. 

“Winning by just one goal you take many precautions, you take maybe excessive precautions. We wanted to impose our style, but at the same time stay well organised.”

Bielsa has been the talk of the Championship since his arrival. The man who has influenced some of the top managers in the game, including Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, is the managerial version of marquee signing.

Bolton boss Phil Parkinson, who was upbeat despite defeat, spoke of his own respect for his opposite number.

“I’ve got respect for what he’s done in the game,” said Parkinson. 

“It’s a style we’ve come up against before. High energy, and good interplay in midfield. 

“You have to be disciplined with and without the ball. But it’s not a brand of football we haven’t seen before.”

Bielsa will be pleased with the way the players who came into the team adopted this brand, and also with Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and the classy Saiz, who retained their places.

If Leeds make it through the next round, the draw could pit Bielsa against one of his disciples working in the Premier League. 

At the moment, however, he’s only looking ahead to the match against Rotherham on Saturday, and will respect whichever team they are drawn against in the forthcoming rounds of this cup.

“It’s always a good thing to play against good teams but we will see who we will play in the next round,” he said.

“There are always many difficulties in each game, whether it is a team from Premier League or a team from the third division.”

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