How Phil Parkinson and Sunderland are taking advice from Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United

Phil Parkinson is keen to ensure his side operate with a high press, and has been watching the Championship side in a bid to instill his principles into the Black Cats’ squad.

A shift in tempo has been notable since the former Bradford and Bolton manager took charge at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland keen to press their opponents high up the pitch.

It’s a strategy Parkinson believes could prove ‘difficult’ to counteract, and one he is working hard to implement.

“We’ve got legs in the team, we’ve got some good energy and I like seeing energy in the side,” said Parkinson.

“We’ve spoken to the lads about when we lose the ball, can we win it back quickly?

“We’re looking at a few clips of when we’ve done that, and we’re looking at Leeds and how they’ve done that in recent years and the effectiveness of that team.

“All the players, when they lose the ball, want to win it back and we’re trying to instill that.

“A lot of that is done on the training ground, but a lot of it is done by showing the lads ‘this is what we want’.

“It’s hard to play against. If you do lose it, I don’t want people looking disappointed. Just get it back quickly.

“That’s what I’m trying to instill in the team.”