Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan has talked up the qualities of Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa and believes the Whites should have won promotion last season.
Leeds led the Championship for periods last term and were in the automatic promotion slot when not sitting top of the pile, but they struggled at the business end and finished third.
They then lost in the playoffs and are now preparing for the new season, having taken on and lost against Manchester United in Australia on Wednesday.
Phelan, Manchester United's assistant boss, believes Bielsa is one of the game's deep thinkers and he is sure the Argentine will have the Whites ready to go for promotion once again.
“Bielsa is an excellent coach and a very deep thinker on the game. He is very passionate about football and how he wants his teams to play", Phelan told his club's official website.
"I think we saw that last season when they went very, very close and probably should have got over the line.
"They just need that little bit extra but didn't quite have it.
"He works the team hard and took his principles that he wants them to adhere to.
"He'll be looking to take them all the way this time."
Leeds have the chance to bounce back from losing against Manchester United as they have a further game in Australia, against Western Sydney Wanderers.
