Derby County boss Phillip Cocu comments on Leeds United

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Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United failed to win against Derby County at Elland Road at the weekend.

Derby County manager Phillip Cocu has told Leeds Live that he knew that Leeds United would struggle towards the end of the game at the weekend.

Cocu has said that he told his players to stay in the game until the very end, as he believes that Leeds find it very hard to keep their high-pressing and high temp game for the entire match.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side took the lead as early as the 20th minute through an own goal from Max Lowe, and they had a number of chances to add to their tally, including a penalty which Mateusz Klich failed to convert.

Derby restored parity in the first minute when Chris Martin popped up to get the ball past Kiko Casilla in the Leeds goal.

Meanwhile, former Derby left-back Chris Powell believes that opposition teams at Elland Road think that they can get something from matches if they are only 1-0 down.

Cocu told Leeds Live: “That’s why I said stay in the game. They have very good players on the ball, but it’s expending a lot of energy. To keep this up for 90 is very difficult, I felt.

“I believed if we could get to the end of the game, we had a chance. Physically, we were okay.

“In two games we have had leads and didn’t score penalties at 1-0. It happened to Leeds, so it’s nice for us to feel like this. Our turn.”

Powell said on the EFL on Quest TV: “It will be physiological now. If teams are 1-0 down at Leeds they will believe they can level it and Leeds will be worried about the same thing.

“Leeds are dominating games and the ball. They are creating chances but they must score more at home.”

Worrying for Leeds United?

Leeds’s recent form at Elland Road has not been great, and it is clear that the Whites need to step up their game in front of their own fans.

The West Yorkshire outfit do tend to create a lot of chances, but the problem is that they fail to take them.

If Leeds can score more goals and finish off games when they get the chances, then they will have nothing to worry about in terms of finishing in the top two of the Championship table this season.