Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has told Leeds Live that he felt Pascal Struijk was ‘very influential’ in the win over Burnley.
The Whites picked up a 1-0 victory this afternoon, with Patrick Bamford’s early penalty proving enough to win the game.
Leeds had to withstand some Burnley pressure in the second half, but claimed all three points – and did it with a fine clean sheet too.
Bielsa’s men were criticised for their perceived defensive naivety in the 6-2 defeat at Manchester United, but they stood strong against Burnley.
Liam Cooper missed out through injury, meaning Bielsa called upon Struijk to come in as his left-sided centre back against the Clarets.
Battling two experienced strikers in Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood isn’t easy, but the 21-year-old was outstanding throughout.
The Dutchman has featured as a midfielder in the past, but his height proved a valuable asset in the Leeds back line today.
After the game, Bielsa branded him ‘very influential’, and felt he was a big part of the defensive stability in the 1-0 victory.
“Yes, he was very influential and he contributed a lot to our defensive stability in the middle,” said Bielsa.
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