Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told BBC Sport that Leeds United ‘didn’t press as high’ as they normally would during Manchester United’s goalless draw at Elland Road on Sunday.
Given that Leeds conceded two goals inside three minutes at Old Trafford during the reverse fixture, it wasn’t a surprise that Marcelo Bielsa’s men were a little less gung-ho than usual over the weekend.
Many neutrals were expecting knock out blow, after knock out blow, but in the end, both hardly laid a glove on one another.
Solskjaer thinks his side matched Leeds’ extreme fitness levels, as he also commented on their pressing.
“Leeds can steamroll teams with their fitness,” said Solskjaer. “But my team showed their fitness. We created two or three big moments and we could have scored.
“The way they play with the man-marking, maybe they didn’t press as high as usual, and the way they defend you play outside their 18-yard box. There is not a lot of space. Little margins are the deciding factor.”
Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United – all three have failed to beat Leeds during these past few weeks.
Even with ten men, Leeds saw past the soon-to-be champions and should have earned more than a point against the current champions.
Whilst Marcelo Bielsa won’t win Manager of the Season because that award will either land on the doorstep at the Etihad or the London Stadium, he still deserves huge credit for the job he has done in Yorkshire, not just now, but including picking up Leeds from the darkness of England’s second-tier.
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