Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has laid down the gauntlet for his team, ahead of their final five games.
Having gone ahead of Sheffield United after the latest round of midweek fixtures, his team are masters of their own destiny. Five wins from the final five games would guarantee the Whites promotion to the Premier League.
Anything less, and the Whites would be relying on Chris Wilder’s Blades to slip up somewhere.
The Argentine was asked how he assessed Saturday’s visitors Sheffield Wednesday , but he chose to switch the focus on the task facing United, regardless of the opposition.
“More than the opponent, without watching the previous games, we have to win the five games left,” he said.
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“When you have less points to win the league because there are few games left, the gap for mistakes is reduced. In football, in every game anything can happen. The game of Norwich [City] yesterday is a summary of this.”
League leaders Norwich were held 2-2 by Reading in a shock draw on Wednesday night.
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Daniel Farke’s men had turned things around after going behind early, scoring two goals in three minutes shortly before the end, but a last-minute equaliser from the Royals saw the points shared.
Promotion rivals Sheffield United play before the Whites in four of the last five fixtures, but Bielsa played down the effect of that and demanded his team focused on their own task.
“Any of the results of our opponents make us play free or more difficult,” said Bielsa.
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“With any result they get we have to win the games. For us, to play the games with the obligation to win is nothing new for us.”
