Leeds United got their Championship campaign off to a flyer with an impressive 3-1 win against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Lee Johnson told Sky Sports’ live post-match coverage of Bristol City’s clash with Leeds United (broadcast on 4/8 from 16:00) that he could see Marcelo Bielsa’s side winning the Championship title if they can keep their strongest side together for the majority of the season.
The Whites bounced back from last season’s play-off heartbreak and an eventful summer with a superb performance at Ashton Gate that resulted in a 3-1 victory over the Robins, who themselves will have promotion ambitions after showing plenty of promise under Johnson.
Leeds may have made hard work of the final 15 minutes, but they dominated for large parts of the game and got their rewards when Pablo Hernandez, Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison all found the back of the net.
And Johnson admitted that his side will have enjoyed a fantastic campaign if they finish close to Leeds in the table, as he expects Bielsa’s men to have every chance of clearing that final hurdle this time around.
“I think it’s good for the players, in one sense, to feel that because that XI, if that stays fit, in my opinion, wins the division. So if we finish close to them, we will be up there. At the same time, today, you have to hold your hands up and say there was a gulf in class,” he told Sky Sports.
It was a major statement of intent from Leeds to go and beat Bristol City so comfortably, especially given that a number of last season’s key men were not available to Bielsa for various reasons.
No Leeds fan will need reminding just how long the season is after the events of last term. But there is no question that the Whites have made a fantastic start, and it would be little surprise if many who watched Sunday’s curtain-raiser agree with Johnson’s assessment of Bielsa’s side.
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