Marcelo Bielsa displayed many quirks on his way to becoming a legend at Leeds.
The Argentine memorably called a sudden press conference after he was found to have spied on Derby – which lasted over an hour – while his tendency to sit on a bucket during matches also became a thing of Leeds folklore.
Marcelo Bielsa also made an unusual habit of naming his starting XI well ahead of matchday – something Oliver Glasner has now done ahead of taking his Crystal Palace side to Elland Road on Saturday.
Oliver Glasner has already revealed his Crystal Palace side to face Leeds United
After naming an incredibly youthful side in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday including four debutants, the Austrian did not beat around the bush when asked for team news ahead of the trip to Yorkshire.
Can Daniel Farke get one over on Oliver Glasner this weekend? 🦚🦅
The Leeds boss was full of praise for his opposite number
Credit: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images and George Wood/Getty Images
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Glasner said the following eleven players will start at Elland Road: Dean Henderson, Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Nathaniel Clyne, Will Hughes, Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell, Yeremy Pino, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah.
Bielsa often did this too, creating something of a mind game with the opposition manager ahead of a match.
David Moyes was certainly left second-guessing the South American after this happened back in December 2020, saying: “It could be a bluff. It might not be his team. He might just be telling the media something else and we all pick up on it. Who’s to know? It could be very clever.”
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Bielsa – who is returning to England in March – even famously once admitted that a Leeds fan had hilariously written a letter asking him to stop doing this, feeling it gave the opposition a huge advantage.
Ultimately, Crystal Palace have used this starting XI – give or take – on a weekly basis for much of this season, so we presume it won’t come as much of a surprise to Daniel Farke.
Gabriel Gudmundsson could have an enjoyable time during Leeds United vs Crystal Palace
Glasner is without several key players, but the biggest miss of all is Daniel Munoz, his electric wing-back who can boast three goals and two assists in 14 Premier League games so far this season.
Leeds win and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores – change my mind 👊
Fifth goal in a row, incoming
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Not only that, but the 34-year-old Nathaniel Clyne is his deputy, a man who can no longer deliver the same energy down that flank as he used to in his prime.
The Crystal Palace No.17 is set to line up against Gabriel Gudmundsson down that flank, just days after the Swede was named Man of the Match in the 1-1 draw against Brentford.
Gary Neville also hailed his display in the 3-1 win over Chelsea.
Gudmundsson displays real energy and quality end product down that wing, so he should feel optimistic about winning yet another Man of the Match award up against a player almost a decade older than him.
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