Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has stressed that playing attractive football is vital to success.

The Argentine has steered the Whites to the top of the Championship table with four wins and a draw from their opening five games.

Bielsa, one of the most esteemed coaches of his generation, insists that winning without style is impossible, citing examples set by Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.

"You never win playing badly, you never win if you don't attack, you never win if you don't take into account the use of the ball," the 63-year-old told Sky Sports News. "Ferguson was a huge head coach and he never won without style.

"Football is not just reduced to a Guardiola style or a Mourinho style, both styles propose a path to reach success. You would not hear any head coach saying that style is above success. What he'd rather say is that with this style I have better conditions to reach success."

Leeds will move three points clear at the top of the table if they beat Middlesbrough on Friday night.