Marcelo Bielsa must change the way Leeds play to stop the rot, says Paul Merson | Football News

Paul Merson says Marcelo Bielsa must change his approach urgently if he wants to stop Leeds’ Premier League status “fizzling away”.

Leeds have conceded 20 goals in their last five matches and slumped to a 4-0 defeat at home to Tottenham after being thrashed 6-0 in midweek away at Liverpool.

Speaking before the heavy defeat to Spurs, Merson urged Bielsa to change the way he plays to prevent Leeds from getting sucked further into the battle to avoid Premier League relegation.

“At the moment this rot needs to stop. I think the worrying thing for me was getting clapped off last Sunday. They had just been beaten by their arch-enemies, their arch-rivals Manchester United in the biggest game of their year – and they let in four goals – and they are getting clapped off.

“He’s pulling the wool over people’s eyes. he needs to change things. His squad is depleted, I know he’s got big players out, but he has to change it. You can’t keep going to Liverpools and Man Uniteds and opening games up and get beaten sixes and fours. You have to stop it. At the moment, I worry for them, I really worry for them.

Leeds’ PL status ‘fizzling away’

“I think the fans need to get a bit stronger. Don’t start clapping your team off. If I got beat by Tottenham four at Highbury when I was playing there is no way I would be getting clapped off. Just go home. You don’t have to boo, I’m not saying boo and throw shoes at them.

“They’ve worked so hard to get to where they are in this league, and at the moment it is fizzling away. I love watching Leeds, I have no affinity to Leeds and I love watching them, but I know there is going to be goal after goal, no matter what end it’s going to be – and that’s worrying.

“Every neutral wants to watch Leeds United play football and that’s not right. That’s not right, not at the moment, it’s not time for all of us to want to watch Leeds United play football.”

Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son set a new Premier League record of 37 goal combinations, overtaking Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, as Spurs beat Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road on Saturday lunchtime.

Kane looked inspired in the second half and his assist for Son’s goal late in the second half – Tottenham’s fourth of the afternoon – saw the duo overtake the former Chelsea pair as the most fruitful Premier League partnership to date.