‘Incredible’: Simon Jordan comments on difference between Leeds boss Bielsa and Solskjaer

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Simon Jordan believes Marcelo Bielsa’s ability to inspire the Leeds squad is what sets him apart from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United, when speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT (6 October, 12:40pm).

While the West Yorkshire giants have made returning to the Premier League after a 14-year exile look as easy as pie, bitter rivals United have choked big time during a miserable start to the 2020/21 campaign.

Solskjaer’s underperforming side looked a shadow of the team that stormed to a third-place finish last term during a 6-1 home defeat against Tottenham on Sunday.

But, while an expensively-assembled United side gave up the ghost in alarming style, Leeds ran themselves into the ground to claim a hugely creditable draw against Manchester City.

The eighth-place Whites already have four points more than their time-honoured enemies from the other side of the Pennines.

And, according to former Crystal Palace owner Jordan, Leeds’ rapid rise is all down to the bespectacled Argentine squatting on the Elland Road sidelines.

“As an owner you sit back and think ‘that’s my guy’ – and Bielsa is doing the job. They’ve got a coach people say and think is one of the best thinkers in the world – I’m not surprised they are on the front foot,” Jordan says.

“Bielsa is, from what I can see, an incredible coach and he gets the players attention – which is what I believe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not do.”

While Leeds were one of the league’s biggest spenders this summer, signing Rodrigo Moreno, Diego Llorente and Raphina for over £20 million each, the bedrock of Bielsa’s side is made up of players who finished 13th in the Championship under Paul Heckingbottom two years ago.

Who would have thought back then that Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips and Luke Ayling would be giving Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp palpitations?