Darren Bent makes Leeds United point live on air after Manchester City draw v Arsenal
Darren Bent has made a new Leeds United point live on air after what happened during Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal.
The two Premier League heavyweights played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday (22 September) as Arsenal defended for their lives following Leandro Trossard’s first-half red card.
Although talkSPORT pundit Bent insists the Gunners were right to not try and attack the Premier League champions, he did admit that Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa showed it could be done way back in 2021.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday (23 September, 16:14) he said: “It shocked me because I thought they’d go for a four, a three and one.
“They would have left one kind of floating, he would have got back into position and then when we got the ball he’d be that kind of focal point that you can hit the target, get hold of it and draw fouls that kind of thing.
“But when I looked at the team shape when they came out and it one, five, four, it was evident and so blatant that they had no intention of attacking.
“It is [the right thing to do] because if Manchester City had committed men forward, Man City could carve you open, but I think that is a defensive display that will give Arsenal confidence going forward.
“I know the counter-argument is, Leeds fans will be able to remind me, I’m pretty sure Leeds went to the Etihad and won and I think Stuart Dallas might have scored the goal.
“They were down to 10 men, you know what Bielsa ball was like and they went and won it and secured all three points.”
Will Leeds United win promotion back to the Premier League at Elland Road?
Leeds United supporters don’t ever need a reason to think back to the glory days under Bielsa, but Bent’s admission that Leeds United were willing to do what Arsenal wouldn’t demonstrates why that was such a special era at Elland Road.
It always felt like the Whites boss and his side were more interested in winning every game they played, rather than settling for a draw, even if that meant attacking with 10 men against the best team in the country.
The picture at Elland Road may well be rather different under Daniel Farke currently, but that sort of free-flowing attacking football is exactly what fans want to see from the German and his talented side in the Championship.
Hopefully, the former Norwich City boss will be able to match Bielsa’s achievement this season and win promotion back to the top flight.
This squad has so much potential, they just have to put a run of form together this term.
In other Leeds United news, Chris Sutton has clashed with one Whites supporter over a new Farke verdict at Elland Road
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