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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor Dunn

Marcelo Bielsa details Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool style and lists their strengths and weaknesses

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa admitted he likes watching Liverpool play while giving "big praise" to Jurgen Klopp's men.

The Reds will travel to Elland Road to face the newly-promoted Championship winners, who beat Manchester City last time out in the top flight, on Monday.

"I like to see Liverpool play," Bielsa said in his pre-match press conference. "They always play in the same manner. For me, that's big praise for a team. There's no player in their team not prepared to receive the ball and manage it anywhere.

"They have a big offensive power. Their full-backs are wingers. Their wingers are centre-forwards, throughout moments in the game. Their midfielders on the inside attack out wide or on the inside in the same manner.

"After there's three players providing defensive equilibrium with the two centre-backs and DM. They're a team constantly producing good football. Don't speculate, attacks always.

"A lot of time attacking and not so much defending. Like every team, they have ups and downs."

Bielsa was also asked about facing the likes of Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Manchester United and other members of the so-called 'big six' while addressing how Leeds could break into Europe next season.

He said: "If we guide ourselves from what's happened this season, from the results or performances we can see against the traditional top six, only against Arsenal were we able to play against equals in the first half of the home game.

"The second half of that game was played with one man more. In the game against Man Utd, we did not deserve a better result. Perhaps, the margin should not have been so high, but they deserved their win, the same with Tottenham. The two Chelsea games were difficult, especially the first.

"The draw against Chelsea we deserved, but in a game they dominated and we did not deserve to win it. Two games against City, at home the draw was fair and in the first half of this game they were better than us and in the second we were a man down.

"My conclusions are not the same as yours. We haven't been able to play as equals against the traditional top six. To anticipate when this will happen is not prudent.

"These types of things, more than announce them, you have to demonstrate them and up until now we haven't managed it."

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