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Championship | Gameweek 16
Nov 4, 2018 at 1.30pm UK
 
Leeds logo

1-2

James (6')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hernandez (9'), Roofe (46')

Marcelo Bielsa wanted Leeds to score more goals against Wigan

Marcelo Bielsa wanted Leeds to score more goals against Wigan
United moved back to the top of the Championship with a 2-1 win.

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa felt his side’s 2-1 victory at Wigan should have been even more emphatic.

The Whites returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship in relatively comfortable fashion, ruining Athletic’s farewell to outgoing chairman David Sharpe and owner Dave Whelan.

On-loan Chelsea right-back Reece James gave Wigan the lead with a superbly-struck sixth-minute free-kick.

But Pablo Hernandez equalised within three minutes and Kemar Roofe took advantage of a defensive mix-up to score what proved to be the winner just 39 seconds into the second period.

“If we look at the chances we created, chances they created, possession… we should have scored more goals,” acknowledged Bielsa.

“But it was very important to win, especially having only drawn at home in our last game. One of our goals is to prevent the opposition having the ball.

“If we can prevent the opposition making passes, if we can recover possession quickly, we feel safer.

“We also have to take into account Wigan weren’t able to call on their four first-choice attacking players.”

The win saw United move back to the top of the second tier, but again Bielsa was not getting carried away.

“There are a number of teams near the top of the league who are at the same level,” he added.

“In order to be top of the pile, we have to make a difference against teams at the top. We did that at the beginning of the season, but we stopped doing that.

“If we want to reach the goals we have set, we have to show more regularity in gaining points.”

For Wigan boss Paul Cook, it was a long day at the office given his side were missing first-choice attacking quartet Nick Powell, Gavin Massey, Michael Jacobs and Will Grigg.

“Leeds are an excellent side, let’s make no bones about that,” he said.

“We worked very hard in our pursuit of getting a result. But to lose such a key goal so soon in the second half has had a massive influence on the game.

“And you’d probably say it was a deserved victory over the 90 minutes. Leeds had that little bit of quality which they showed at regular points in the game.

“We maybe didn’t have that little bit of quality, or confidence when we most needed it.”

Cook was left to wonder what may have happened had Wigan managed to hang on to their lead for longer than three minutes.

“We got off to a great start, and I don’t know how long it was before Leeds were level, but you have to hang on to those moments,” he added.

“We wanted to pursue Leeds and get after them in terms of how they play the game. They’re a very free-flowing, attacking team, and fair play to them.

“They play the way I think everyone would want to play the game. And I think they will go very close this year.”

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720


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