Marcelo Bielsa’s words are what Leeds United must emulate against Stoke City to repeat 2020 promotion

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Leeds United have fond memories of Stoke City in the Championship, especially in home games at Elland Road.

The Whites have met Stoke seven times in the league since 2018, winning five of them. Three of those victors have come at Elland Road, including two particularly memorable matches under Marcelo Bielsa.

Bielsa’s maiden Championship outing came in a 3-1 win over the Potters in 2018. Stoke were a recently relegated side and had the likes of Peter Crouch involved that day, but Leeds shocked the EFL world with a convincing display.

That season would end in disappointment but it saved the best until last in terms of Bielsa’s joint-biggest win as Leeds boss. A 5-0 win during lockdown in 2020 secured a vital three points for the Whites at a similar stage of the season.

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A repeat of Leeds United’s 5-0 Stoke City win would be the perfect promotion for Daniel Farke

Leeds smashed Stoke thanks to goals from Mateusz Klich, Helder Costa, Liam Cooper, Pablo Hernandez, and Patrick Bamford. It was matchday 42 as they cantered to the title and has an eerily similar feel to the current campaign.

Leeds have won the last 79 games now in which they have scored the first goal in the second tier. Unsurprisingly, that is a second tier record and they are continuing to add to it with further records in Leeds’ sights.

Included within that was July 9 2020, which came in the midst of a six-game winning run to lift the title. Leeds have won the last three, thus they can match that feat from 2020 as they march to promotion under Daniel Farke.

The business end of the season has that similar feel, even if fans are able to watch the games this time around. Bielsa knew all about the importance of keeping calm and taking it game by game, but also in how vital the first goal can be for Leeds.

Speaking to the BBC in July 2020: “Every match is a new story. What happened in the previous game is not definitive for the next one.

“Safety and confidence are not linked 100% with the previous result.

“It was a positive performance. The manager always values a positive impact.

“Being able to score at the end of the first half was very important.

“In the second half our early goal made it much easier for us, but in any case it was an exaggerated result.”

A repeat of a 5-0 win could see Leeds promoted if Sheffield United drop points to Burnley later in the day, and it would be the perfect way to do it for Leeds, capping off a wonderful season.

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Leeds’ early goals and record when scoring first

The reverse fixture ended 2-0 thanks to two Joel Piroe goals, although Farke has tasted defeat in this fixture as Leeds manager after a 1-0 away defeat last term.

They won 1-0 in a nervy end of season game in March of last year, too. But, ordinarily, the clashes between these two bring the best out of Leeds, especially under the tutelage of the enigmatic Argentine.

16 goals in the first 15 minutes of games is the best in the Championship and could be key here against a more stubborn Stoke side under Mark Robins, although Leeds are answering each question put their way currently and very few points are required from here.

Promotion is so close for Leeds now, who have not ‘fallen apart’ this season and will hope for another classic against Stoke once again at the end of a promotion campaign; the omens are good and the stars are aligning.