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William Jackson

Every word Michael Skubala said on Leeds United's Old Trafford draw, leader impact, defence and injuries

Michael, in the context, how great a result is that?

I’m really proud of the players I thought they did really well and the context, I think it’s a tough place to come we know they haven't lost in 13 in all competitions and I think we did a good job. I'm a little bit disappointed because I thought we did enough to win the game and like I said, we'll be pragmatic but I tried to win the game. So really, really good really pleased.

I think it’s fair to say you terrified them in the opening stages of both halves, what was the tactical plan?

Without giving too much away because we've got another game on Sunday against them, just to not to be passive. To be aggressive, to be free and go and try and attack them.

What was the most rewarding part for you?

The most rewarding part is how in the last moments we saw out the game. We got to a place where I thought we could win it and then at times, they have really good quality, we know that, they're good players. At the end there, we had to dig deep and they had to show their personality to see out the game and get a point. I'm really proud of that.

Read more: Michael Skubala makes telling impact as Leeds United battle to Manchester United draw

What did you say to lift them, because it was a clear shift in energy at times?

Let's have a good structure, let's be hard to beat and then we when we can go and attack, let's be free and let's go and attack them. Let's try and score goals and be positive.

And how are you looking injury-wise?

Yeah, we took a few early knocks early on with a few injuries and that made it difficult for the second half with the amount of stoppages we can have but we need to go back and assess and see how everybody is. It's a shame to lose some good players but we'll have to dig deeper and be together.

Pascal, I assume is a concussion, how is he and does that make him unlikely to play on Sunday?

Yeah, we have to go assess with the medical team and see how is. I think he's took a big blow, he's okay at the minute, he is a little bit dizzy but again, at the moment I just need to go and speak to the medical team and see them tomorrow and see how he is.

Do you know if you will be taking the team on Sunday?

All I've done in the last sort of 48 hours is just concentrate on the group, concentrate on the team. I don't know what's going on with the situation. I'm just here to support the club. And yeah, that's it really at the moment.

How much have you had to rely on the leaders in the group and what kind of input they have in the last 24 hours?

100% and in situations like this, you need to rely on the strong leaders in the group and they've been amazing. Coops, Luke Ayling, even Max Wober, even Illan, they're all good leaders in their own right. But 100% we've had to rely on some strong leaders in the group and I thought they did really well.

How is Marc Roca and what’s the latest with Liam?

So both of them we just thought it was a bit too early for them for this game. So again, we need to assess for them and see how they'll be if they're ready for Sunday.

What was the message in the dressing room from the players? What are you hearing from the leaders?

I think the message from the leaders and myself was stick to the plan. We have a plan and we tried to be pragmatic, we tried to be a second and we thought it was a good plan. They supported the plan and when you need your good leaders to buy into that and you need your good leaders to rally all the young players around that. That was the message and they did that really well.

How impressed were you with the backline, Ayling, Robin Koch, Wober?

Yeah, really good, really good. And Firpo came in as well, Junior, and I thought he had a good performance when he came in and it's tough to come into a game like that. So I thought the whole backline was really good and really solid.

How much were you able to do before the game?

Twenty minutes of shape with the whole session. It's difficult but yeah, 20 minutes of shape, but I think they were really concentrated. We did the obviously the analysis and the video. Not a lot but enough.

If you do end up taking Sunday, what's the process of this fixture, back to back, what should you change?

I need to go away and assess I need to rely on the staff to support that assessment. But it's always tricky, I think playing the same team back to back and but again, it's tricky for them as well and they've got to come to Elland Road, so let's see.

How important was the nature of the early goal, the press, the finish, how important was it for the confidence of the team?

I think we've been good at that all season. We've been good at pressing. We've been good at being compact and we've been good at going when the time was right. I think we just carried that over into this game and that's why we scored early. So yeah, they're good at that.

We know Manchester United are historically good at coming from behind, for them to equalise but you stand firm, that must make you really proud?

Really proud. Really proud of that. This is a tough place to get a point. They're really good. They're a good team and that's what I say it was really good to go 2-0 up and disappointed not to win the game but I'm really proud that they saw it out and we got a point for the club.

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