Patrick Bamford has speculated that Pep Guardiola is an avid watcher of Leeds United.
Leeds have been a breath of fresh air since returning to the Premier League this season after a 16-year exile from the big time.
So far, Marcelo Bielsa’s side are ninth in the table – one place above Arsenal – and have stood toe to toe with England’s elite.
The Elland Road club have taken four points from a possible six off Premier League champions elect Manchester City, after beating them with 10 men at the Etihad a little earlier this month in what may be the shock result of the campaign, considering the circumstances.
And Bamford, speaking to Leeds’ official podcast, has suggested that the City boss is probably a big fan of Bielsa’s team, after suggesting that Guardiola is particularly fond of the ‘Godfather’ Bielsa.
He said: “I know he’s a big admirer of Bielsa and says that he’s kind of like the godfather of football and he’s never seen anyone put as much into the game as he does. I couldn’t be sure but I reckon he’s probably a manager who enjoys watching Leeds when he can as well. I might have just totally made that up.”
Did Bamford make it up that Pep likes watching this team? Probably not.
From a footballing perspective there’s virtually nothing to dislike about Bielsa’s Leeds side and a purist like Guardiola is always going to be favour coaches like the Argentine.
It’s quite remarkable what the 65-year-old has managed in West Yorkshire over the course of three years.
United had just finished 13th in the Championship and had sacked Paul Heckingbottom when he arrived in the summer of 2018.
So the fact that they’re sitting in the top half of the Premier League three years later is a huge feather in Bielsa’s cap.
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