UK Edition
Leeds lose to surprising Stoke line-up but Marcelo Bielsa insists result was unaffected by spy-gate
Stoke City 2 Leeds United 1
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa admitted that nothing he might have learned from any clandestine spying activity could have changed the result after Stoke registered their first win since before Christmas to inflict a third defeat in four matches for the Championship leaders.
New Stoke manager Nathan Jones had managed to keep his plans secret, surprising Leeds by deploying Moritz Bauer and Sam Clucas as wing backs and restoring the outcast Charlie Adam to the starting XI for the first time this season. It worked like a dream, second-half goals by Clucas and Joe Allen giving the former Luton manager a significant fillip in his first home Championship match, following defeat at Brentford on his debut and a midweek loss at home to League One Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.
It can be assumed that Bielsa’s controversial training-ground spies have been stood down since the EFL announced an investigation into the club’s conduct, which was given more weight with 11 Championship clubs - not including Stoke - writing to the League to demand a thorough inquiry following Derby County’s specific complaint last week.
Asked if not being able to spy on Stoke influenced the result, Bielsa said: “No, we can't say we ignored the features of the opponent. We just didn't take advantage of the possibilities we had. We had all the resources we needed to win this game, but we did not play well enough.”
Clucas gave Stoke the lead five minutes into the second half, driving the ball into the net from inside the penalty area on the left after two Leeds defenders attempted to clear their lines from a free kick but succeeded only in putting the ball at the feet of the winger.
Leeds, who struggled to find any control in the first half, had much of the possession in the second - even after defender Pontus Jansson was sent off for a second yellow card offence 15 minutes from time - without creating many clear chances, although it took a superb save from ‘keeper Jack Butland to deny Luke Ayling an equalising header.
Moments afterwards, the persistence of Stoke substitute James McClean in keeping a rare home attack alive ended with a decisive second goal, knocked in from close range by Joe Allen from a McClean cross.
Ezgjan Alioski pulled one back for Leeds in stoppage time but by then their position was beyond recovery.
“It is well publicised that Marcelo has watched the Luton games as well as Stoke so we thought we might give him a surprise,” Jones said of his new formation. “The players did not have long to take it on board but we have some top players.”
Leeds remain top of the table, but with their lead now a slender one.
Match details
Stoke City: Butland; Williams, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Bauer, Adam, Etebo, Clucas; Allen; Afobe, Campbell (McClean 66). Substitutes not used: Federici (g), Ince, Berahino, Crouch, Edwards, Woods.
Leeds United: Peacock-Farrell; Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Alioski; Klich (Stevens 75), Forshaw, Hernandez; Clarke, Roofe, Harrison (Roberts Substitutes not used: Casilla (g), Davis, Shackleton, Halme, Gotts.
Sent off: Jansson (76, 2nd yellow).
Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).
Bookings: Stoke City: Adams. Leeds United: Forshaw, Jansson, Hernandez.
Attendance: 28,586.