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Swansea logo
Championship | Gameweek 43
Jul 12, 2020 at 1.30pm UK
Liberty Stadium
Leeds logo

Swansea
0 - 1
Leeds


Brewster (29'), Fulton (33')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Hernandez (89')
Klich (31'), Harrison (75'), Hernandez (90')

Marcelo Bielsa pleased with "step forward" against Swansea

Marcelo Bielsa pleased with
© Reuters
Four points from three games would see the Yorkshire club return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.

Marcelo Bielsa felt Leeds had taken a "step forward" to winning promotion after Pablo Hernandez's late winner secured a 1-0 victory at Swansea.

On a day when Leeds paid tribute to club great Jack Charlton, who died at the age of 85 on Friday, Bielsa's side moved to within four points of ending their 16-year wait to play in the top flight of English football.

Sky Bet Championship leaders Leeds are now three points ahead of second-placed West Brom, and six clear of in-form Brentford, with games against Barnsley, Derby and Charlton to come.

Pablo Hernandez left it late at Swansea
Pablo Hernandez left it late at Swansea (Nick Potts/PA)

"I can not enjoy this," Bielsa said. "What you feel just is that you are taking a step forward. The only thing I can enjoy is the last objective, if we get it.

"The match was very close, very narrow, few chances. When the match progressed our possibilities were growing and in the last 30 minutes I think we deserved to score and to make the difference."

In a game of few chances prior to substitute Hernandez's late strike, Leeds had the best opportunity after 64 minutes.

Patrick Bamford failed to head home from six yards, allowing Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to palm away his effort.

Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear celebrated wildly in the stand
Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear celebrated wildly in the stand (Nick Potts/PA)

But Hernandez, who played for Swansea for two years between 2012 and 2014, proved the hero by rolling home Luke Ayling's cross off a post.

"What we feel is taking the steps we have to take," Bielsa said.

"But of course when you score at the end of the match it's a higher feeling. The bigger emotion we didn't get that yet."

Charlton, a World Cup winner with England in 1966, was part of the great Don Revie Leeds sides of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Leeds was the only club Charlton played for and he made 773 appearances for them between 1953 and 1973.

Tributes were paid to Charlton before kick-off with both sets of players and staff applauding the former defender's contribution to football after a minute's silence had been held.

"The legends of the club deserve a big attention from us," Bielsa said.

"But I don't want to take the risk to talk about the victory and the loss of a person. I don't want to link those two things."

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🤍 RIP Big Jack!

A post shared by Leeds United (@leedsunited) on

Swansea manager Steve Cooper insisted defeat was harsh on his side.

"I thought we were comfortable in the game and I'm really disappointed to lose like that," Cooper said.

"I think both teams were cautious in terms of attacking and defending and I would have just liked to have had a bit more of the ball in the second half.

"It was just so disappointing to see that ball trickle in the way it did after the boys had put so much into the game."

Swansea and Leeds observed a minute's silence in honour of Jack Charlton
Swansea and Leeds observed a minute's silence in honour of Jack Charlton (Nick Potts/PA)

Swansea remain just outside the play-off places, a point behind Welsh rivals Cardiff in seventh place.

"We would have liked to have picked up a point, but it wasn't as if anything was going to be decided today," Cooper said.

"It's probably going to go to the last game as most things are in the league.

"The dressing room is down of course and it's still raw, but the fire in the belly is still there to achieve and we'll be going to the end."

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Leeds United players celebrate during their victory over Stoke on July 9, 2020
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1695226121432
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
3Burnley168621961330
4Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
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