Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that his side have never faced a team like Barnsley before, ahead of the Championship clash between the two teams at Oakwell this weekend.

Leeds have made a positive start to their second season under Bielsa and are currently third in the Championship table after winning four of their opening six league matches.

The Whites lost their unbeaten record against Swansea City last time out and will be keen to get back to winning ways against their Yorkshire rivals at the weekend.

Barnsley won automatic promotion from League One last season, but have struggled in the Championship so far this term and are without a win in their last six matches in all competitions.

Daniel Stendel's side are currently 21st in the Championship table and are without a win since their victory over Fulham on the opening day of the campaign.

However, Bielsa has insisted that Barnsley's position in the league table is not a true reflection of how strong they are as a team and has claimed that his Leeds side have never faced a team like them before.

"We have never faced a team like this one, it's a different kind of team. They press high and run a lot, the position they have in the table is not linked with the style of play they have shown," Bielsa said at his pre-match press conference - @LUFC.

The Verdict

Leeds have made a positive start to the new season but there's no doubt that the players are in for a tough game at the weekend.

Barnsley are a good side - they've got some very talented players in their squad and they'll be determined to prove that they belong as this level after bit of an underwhelming start. It's a Yorkshire derby too, so it'll be an extremely competitive contest.

It's been a difficult start to the new season for Barnsley, but they've come up against some good teams and I don't think that their league position reflects how strong a side they are, so I agree with Bielsa in that sense.

Leeds have got more than enough quality to win the game at the weekend though, but they cannot afford to take their opponents lightly.