Bielsa names which Leeds player was ‘one of the better players’ at Anfield

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Marcelo Bielsa has told Leeds Live that Pascal Struijk was ‘one of the better players’ for Leeds United as they suffered a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield yesterday.

With captain Liam Cooper out injured, Struijk partnered summer signing, Robin Koch, at the heart of Leeds’ defence, as Mo Salah ran havoc on them and netted a hat-trick in a thrilling opening day game.

Whilst Liverpool were showing their worth in the final third, Leeds were also causing their own carnage, and in truth, they will probably feel that they deserved something from the game, at the very least.

As Bielsa sat on his famous bucket on the sidelines, he praised Struijk’s performance at Anfield despite his team conceding four and how the young centre-back duo performed without Cooper.

“Cooper is our captain,” Bielsa told Leeds Live. “It can never go without notice when you are missing your captain. But clearly Pascal was one of the better players in our team today.”

Whilst Leeds will be bitterly disappointed that they left Merseyside empty-handed, it’s a performance and match that will live long in the memory of many because the Yorkshire giants are back where they belong.

During this forthcoming week, they will come up against more familiar opponents in the League Cup and the Premier League, respectively

Hull City will be their next challenge, a team that was relegated from the Championship last season and they played on two occasions last term.

Whilst Fulham, who were promoted along with the Whites to the promised land, will then lock horns with Bielsa’s men in the Premier League, as both teams will see this as an ideal situation to put their first points on the board.