‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games | OneFootball

‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games | OneFootball

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·1 December 2025

‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games

Article image:‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games

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Former Leeds United forward Michael Bridges feels that the Whites’ change of system in the second half against Manchester City was a huge positive, which Leeds should apply when they play Chelsea and Liverpool next.


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With their weekend loss against the Cityzens at the Etihad, Leeds have now lost four league games on the bounce.

The Elland Road outfit, though, showed a lot of character in their away defeat against Pep Guardiola’s side after the Manchester-based club scored two first-half goals.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke changed his approach, which saw the likes of Dan James and Willy Gnonto brought off for Jaka Bijol and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which Bridges pointed out as well.

He lauded Farke for making those decisions and he also hailed how the players put in a brilliant performance against Manchester City and got two goals back.

Article image:‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games

Even though a late Phil Foden goal saw the Cityzens grab all three points, Bridges sees a lot of positives from Leeds’ second-half performance at the Etihad.

The former Whites man stressed that the 3-5-2 formation worked impressively and made it clear that he wants to see Leeds playing with the same system against Chelsea and Liverpool.

“You will hear a lot of fans saying that the changes come too late in games, it is always the same”, Bridges said on LUTV (0:55).

“But no, he made a brave decision at half-time, and the change in personnel – taking off Willy Gnonto, taking off Dan James.

Article image:‘That System’ – Former Leeds United Star Encouraged For Chelsea And Liverpool Games

“I felt for Dan James to be fair and Willy, but you have got to be sacrificed for certain reasons, and it was a change in system.

“It was a system that we talked about before the game, that we might have gone with three centre-halves with wing-backs.

“And I tell you what, the second half, the way the players galvanised and got back into this game and really put City on the back foot, it was very impressive.

“There are so many positives to take out of that performance in the second half, little moments in the first half, but forget that.

“And that is something that I think we can build on now with that system, the style of play, going forward in the next games against Chelsea and Liverpool.”

Farke will now hope to see his new change of system to be the catalyst for their season to defy Leeds’ critics.

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