Kalvin Phillips has paid tribute to Marcelo Bielsa following Leeds United's decision to part company with their manager.

Leeds confirmed on Sunday that Bielsa had left the club in the wake of Saturday's 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham.

That loss came on the back of a 6-0 hammering at Liverpool, a 4-2 defeat to Manchester United and a 3-0 reverse at fellow strugglers Everton.

Indeed, Leeds have lost five of their last six Premier League games since beating West Ham in January and conceded 20 goals in the top flight across their five games in February – the most in a month by a top-flight side in England overall since Newcastle in April 1986 (21) – leaving them only two points above the relegation zone.

Phillips was a crucial figure for Leeds across Bielsa's first three seasons at the club, with his ability to anchor the midfield enabling the Whites to flood forward in attack as they gained promotion to the Premier League and secured a ninth-place finish in 2020-21.

Only four players made more appearances in all competitions under Bielsa than Phillips (131), who posted to Twitter: "Thank you Marcelo for everything you have done for me.

"You saw in me what I didn’t even see in myself. You helped me grow as a player but most importantly as a person.

"Wishing you all the best in your next chapter. Gracias Marcelo. Vamos Leeds Carajo!!"

Phillips' neat passing and ability to switch the play was another key facet for Bielsa, with the England international achieving over 80 per cent passing accuracy across his three full seasons under the Argentine, while also winning over 50 per cent of his duels in each of those campaigns.

However, his influence has been sorely missed this season, with the 26-year-old – who has been linked with a move away from his boyhood club – hampered by injury.

Phillips has featured just 15 times for Leeds this term and has not featured since December due to a thigh problem. He is due back next month, and is sure to be key to the Whites' survival hopes under a new coach.

Patrick Bamford has also endured an injury ravaged campaign, with the striker – who netted 17 league goals last season – making just six top-flight appearances.

"Thank you, the man who changed everything for everyone," Bamford posted to Instagram.

Raphinha, who has been Leeds' standout performer this season and has been linked with Liverpool and Bayern Munich, wrote "thank you very much Marcelo, for everything," on his official Instagram account.

Leeds United have parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa, in the wake of their 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham on Saturday.

The defeat came at the end of a dire week in which Leeds suffered a 4-2 home defeat to rivals Manchester United and a 6-0 hammering by Liverpool at Anfield, leaving them mired in a battle to retain their Premier League status.

Leeds are winless in six Premier League matches since beating West Ham United in mid-January, having lost five of those games, conceding 21 goals, meaning fan favourite Bielsa's reign has been brought to an end, after over three-and-a-half seasons in the Elland Road dugout.

The news was confirmed on Sunday in a statement released on the club's official website.

"This has been the toughest decision I have had to make during my tenure at Leeds United, taking into account all the success Marcelo has had at the club," said Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani.

"With Marcelo as our head coach, we had three incredible campaigns and the good times returned to Elland Road. He changed the culture of the club and brought a winning mentality to us all.

"The moments created, particularly in the 2019-20 season and winning promotion to the Premier League, will of course live long in all our memories, myself and the fans included.

"However, I have to act in the best interest of the club and I believe a change is required now in order to secure our Premier League status. Recent results and performances have not met our expectations.

"We find ourselves in a precarious league position and I feel now is the right time to bring in a new head coach, in order to have an impact in the decisive stage of the season.

"Naturally, myself, along with everyone else at the club would like to thank Marcelo for his efforts and achievements and we wish him the very best for the future."

Bielsa had earlier insisted that he was the right man to keep Leeds in the division despite the run of heavy defeats, telling BBC Sport: "I always have confidence in what I can do."

However, Leeds' dire defensive record, which has seen them ship 60 goals in just 26 league outings, has forced Radrizzani to act, with former RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch widely considered a leading candidate to replace Bielsa, who according to director of football Victor Orta has "created a legacy" at the club.

Leeds are aiming to make an announcement on the new appointment on Monday.

Bielsa enjoyed success in his first three seasons at Elland Road, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2018-19 season, before ending their 16-year absence from the top flight by securing promotion one year later.

Upon their return to the big time, Leeds' swashbuckling style of football saw them secure a surprise ninth-placed finish, but Bielsa's team found the going far harder this campaign, with injuries to key players including Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford not helping.

Leeds United are being drawn into the relegation battle, mounting pressure on manager Marcelo Bielsa.

The Whites enjoyed a top-half finish in their return to the Premier League last season but have struggled this term.

Leeds have managed one point from their past six league games, conceding 20 goals in their past five.

TOP STORY – BIELSA EXITS STRUGGLING LEEDS

The Sun claims Marcelo Bielsa has quit as Leeds United manager with ex-RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch set to replace him.

Bielsa resigned after Leeds were hammered 4-0 by Tottenham on Saturday, having conceded 14 goals in their past three league games.

The Argentinean's exit from Elland Road is being thrashed out between lawyers, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that Marsch – who left Leipzig in December and previously managed Salzburg and New York Red Bulls – is the favourite to take over.

ROUND-UP

- Chelsea have slapped a £50million price tag on goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who is wanted by Newcastle United, reports the Daily Star. The Blues signed Kepa in 2018 as the most expensive goalkeeper in history.

- Manchester United are lining up two young talents according to the Mirror. The Red Devils are set to table bids for PSV's Cody Gakpo and Sporting CP's Joao Palhinha.

- Liverpool target Darwin Nunez is interested in joining the Reds according to Football Insider. The 22-year-old Uruguay international is currently with Benfica.

- Mundo Deportivo claims Barcelona are ahead of Bayern Munich in the race to sign Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen.

It was another frustrating day for Manchester United against Watford on Saturday, while their rivals – and next opponents – Manchester City left it late at Everton.

Watford were, of course, the team that inflicted the defeat that cost Ole Gunnar Solskjaer his job at United in November, and Ralf Rangnick will have been similarly frustrated, even if he is safe in the knowledge that he will not be getting the sack.

The same cannot be said for Marcelo Bielsa, however, who looks destined to see his stay at Leeds United brought to an end after a crushing defeat to Tottenham.

Following Saturday's Premier League action, Stats Perform delves into the key Opta facts from some of the day's games.

Manchester United 0-0 Watford: Red Devils revert to type

Man Utd's 4-2 win at Leeds United last week was a little more tense than Ralf Rangnick would have liked, at least for a while, but it was also a rare example of them getting a big goals haul.

It seemed to say more about Leeds than it did United, however, as Rangnick saw his side struggle in front of goal once again despite dominating visitors Watford.

Chances weren't an issue: they had 22 shots, but only three were on target. Their opportunities amounted to 2.7 expected goals (xG), just no actual goals.

That was the highest xG accumulated by any side who failed to score in a Premier League game this term, and the biggest negative differential between goals and xG recorded in 2021-22.

It was the fifth time United have failed to score in 14 Premier League home games this season, their worst record since 2013-14 (six).

Up next? The Manchester derby.

Everton 0-1 Manchester City: Champions breathe sigh of relief as Toffees' points tally makes grim viewing

Phil Foden rescued City at Goodison Park on Saturday, scoring eight minutes from time to seal a 1-0 win over Everton.

That goal ensured Liverpool can only cut the gap behind City to three points if they win their game in hand, with Pep Guardiola undoubtedly relieved.

He surely always had faith, however, as Guardiola had won each of his previous nine games against Everton – this victory took him to 10 on the bounce, making it his joint-longest winning run against a single opponent in his managerial career.

Everton's outlook is rather bleaker.

Defeat leaves them with just 22 points from 24 Premier League games this term. It is their lowest tally at this stage of a league campaign (if we assume three points have been awarded throughout history) since 1929-30 (also 22), when they were relegated from the top tier.

Frank Lampard's men certainly showed enough spirit at times in this game to suggest their fate will not be the same, but their nine points since the start of October is the fewest of every team in the Premier League.

Leeds United 0-4 Tottenham: Defensive woes leave Bielsa on the brink

It would seem Marcelo Bielsa could well be on his way out at Leeds after another grim defeat, this time at the hands of Spurs.

This loss took Leeds to 20 goal concessions in February, which is the most any Premier League team has ever let in during a single calendar month and worst since any top-flight side since April 1986 (Newcastle United – 21).

As such, they became only the second side in Premier League history to three or more goals in five successive games – four of those have been defeats, making it their worst such run in the top tier since December 2003-February 2004.

For Spurs it was a welcome change of pace after losing to Burnley in midweek, a defeat that led to an emotional outburst from Antonio Conte that made it seem the Italian's days at the club were numbered.

A major highlight for them saw Harry Kane and Son Heung-min combine for the 37th time in the Premier League, overtaking Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard as the duo with most goal combinations in the competition's history.

Brentford 0-2 Newcastle United: Bees' woes continue but Eriksen return puts struggles into perspective

The form of Brentford and Newcastle could not be much more different.

Brentford are now winless in eight Premier League games, seven of which have been defeats – Newcastle are unbeaten in seven, their best such run since 2011 (14 games).

Josh Dasilva's red card certainly did not help matters for the home side, with his 11th-minute dismissal the second-earliest in a Premier League game this term after Newcastle's Ciaran Clark (ninth minute against Norwich City in November).

But the match did give all fans and neutrals a reason to smile as Christian Eriksen made his return to the football pitch.

The playmaker suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, and he came on in the second half for his first competitive appearance since his medical emergency.

It was also marked his return to the Premier League, having last appeared in the competition 766 days earlier for Tottenham.

Marcelo Bielsa insisted he remains the right man at Leeds United after watching his side slump to a 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.

Harry Kane inspired the visitors to a comfortable victory at Elland Road as Leeds suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat for the first time since a run of six in 2003-04.

Their latest loss came after a 6-0 thrashing by Liverpool on Wednesday and a 4-2 home defeat to Manchester United last Sunday. Indeed, Leeds have conceded 20 league goals in February, which is the most by a top-flight team in a calendar month since Newcastle United conceded 21 times in April 1986.

Leeds are in real danger of being dragged into the relegation zone if results do not improve, and there are reports that the club are seriously considering replacing Bielsa with former RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch.

However, when asked if he were confident he can keep Leeds up this season, Bielsa told BBC Sport: "I always have confidence in what I can do."

Bielsa did accept his side were outplayed by Spurs and acknowledged the importance of sharpening up a defence that has conceded 60 times already this season. The only time in Premier League history they have let in more in a single 38-game campaign was when they were relegated in 2003-04.

"It was a fair defeat," the Argentine said. "The difference should have been smaller, however – not so much due to how we played but because of the goals we could have scored.

"The feeling of dominance over the game was for Tottenham. We know clearly how [Antonio] Conte's Tottenham play and obviously, what we tried to do, you can perceive it.

"The way they played was not surprising for us and we tried to overcome them but we couldn't manage to take the ball off them in the build-up, nor could we neutralise the influence of their forwards. We couldn't manage to put them at risk when they built up the play and they managed to find their forwards.

"We need to defend better. We need to make the opponents feel more worried when they have the ball and to try and manage to be able to attack without defending poorly and defend without it preventing us from attacking.

"We would get back and defend quickly after attacking and then attack quickly after defending but we have lost that virtue.

"Evidently there are factors that had a positive influence before but are not having the same impact."

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged "it is impossible not to be worried" by the prospect of relegation after his side went down 4-2 to Manchester United.

Headers from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had United ahead on Sunday, before Rodrigo and Raphinha struck in the space of two minutes to level things up in the second half.

But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga secured victory for Ralf Rangnick's team to leave Leeds winless from their last four Premier League outings, and they sit just five points above the relegation zone.

Everton and the resurgent Newcastle United are the two teams immediately below the 15th-placed Leeds, propping the gap between Bielsa's side and the last relegation spot occupied by Watford.

Burnley, who are in 19th, are six points behind the Whites but also boast two games in hand as they look to make a late survival push following a 3-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

With key players Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford still injured, and Liverpool and Tottenham as Leeds' next opponents, Bielsa recognises the difficult task at hand.

"It is impossible not to be worried," Bielsa told Sky Sports. "We have conceded 50 goals. Do you think I cannot be worried? How can I not feel responsible?

"We have to defend better. We are missing Kalvin Phillips and Robin Koch was substituted and we could not count on Pascal [Struijk] in midfield because he went back into defence. 

"Not being able to come with the three defensive midfielders we have, there is a weakness in the recovery of the ball.

"In the first half we started well and ended well but didn't manage to score. In the moments we lost dominance they scored.

"After we got back level we had the chance to go 3-2 up and straight away they went up and scored again. 

"We played better trying to get back into the game than when we were trying to keep a result but something has repeated that is difficult to resolve."

It was the fourth time Leeds have conceded at least four goals in a Premier League game this season – no side has done so more often so far this term.

Arsenal booked their place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Leeds United thanks to goals from Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah.

Chambers headed Arsenal in front 10 minutes into the second half just moments after he had come on to the pitch as a substitute.

Nketiah scored Arsenal's second 14 minutes later when he capitalised on a weak ball back to Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Leeds, who had chances of their own in the first half, were unable to find a response as Mikel Arteta's side saw out the game without further alarm.

Arsenal showed the early intent with Nketiah's shot going just wide while Sead Kolasinac struck the side netting with a low angled attempt.

Leeds weathered the spell of pressure and then had two chances of their own before the half hour; Daniel James tamely shot at Bernd Leno when sent clear before the German produced a superb diving save to keep out Jack Harrison's rasping half-volley.

Leno was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the remainder of the half as he saved a low deflected shot from James, and was relieved to see a Tyler Roberts shot fly wide.

Arsenal were dealt a blow shortly after the interval when Ben White limped off injured, but they soon had reason to celebrate when his replacement Chambers scored with his first touch.

A corner from Smith Rowe was nodded back across by Nicolas Pepe to Chambers who saw his header blocked by Meslier but goal-line technology deemed the ball had crossed the line.

Nketiah added a second with just over 20 minutes left when he latched on to a backward header from Liam Cooper, nudged the ball over the outrushing Meslier before he shinned it into the empty net.

The goal stifled any hope of a Leeds comeback as Arteta's men saw out the remainder of the game and secured their spot in the last eight.

Brentford captain Pontus Jansson heaped praise on Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa after the Bees were promoted to the Premier League for the first time.

Ivan Toney's penalty, swiftly followed by a fierce first-time strike from Emiliano Marcondes, secured a 2-0 win for Brentford in the Championship play-off final against Swansea City.

Brentford lost to Fulham at the same stage last year, Jansson's first with the club after leaving Bielsa's Leeds, who were promoted as champions and have this term enjoyed a spectacular return to the Premier League, finishing ninth.

But, speaking to Sky Sports, Jansson explained how what he learned from Bielsa played a pivotal role in Brentford ending a 74-year absence from the top flight.

"Last year a lot of Leeds fans was against me, this year so many Leeds fans have been with me and with Brentford, probably because they are already there and they wanted me to come and join them," Jansson said.

"I love Leeds, Brentford fans know I love Leeds, Leeds is one of the favourite clubs I have, of course I love Brentford as much, I'm so proud, I'm so happy, I could go home to Sweden and retire because this is what I've dreamt of for such a long time since I came to England, finally of course I will not go home, I will stay here and hopefully play Premier League football.

"I'm so thankful to Bielsa for what he gave me at Leeds, he gave me so much knowledge that I actually brought to Brentford and Brentford was so willing to listen to me and my ideas that I took from Bielsa.

"I thank him a lot because he's one of the best coaches in the world. People think mine and his relationship is not the best but it is, I'm so thankful to him."

Brentford scored 79 goals in the 46-game Championship season, the most in the division, increasing the tally for the campaign to 84 with their efforts in the play-offs.

The Bees scored 73 non-penalty goals across 49 matches, underperforming their xG of 74.4 but playing an expansive style of football reflective of what Jansson experienced at Leeds.

Toney was the talisman behind their promotion, his spot-kick taking him to 33 goals in a remarkable campaign. Twenty-two of those goals came from 135 non-penalty shots with an xG of 20.7.

Asked about what he could do in front of goal in the top tier, Toney replied: "I don't know, who knows what's to come.

"I'm a Premier League striker now and I can't wait to score goals in the Prem."