Jamie Carragher on the Bielsa effect on Leeds United ahead of Liverpool opener

Jamie Carragher reckons Leeds are no longer the club that everybody loves to hate – thanks to Marcelo Bielsa.

Carragher can’t wait to see the eccentric Argentine show why he is such an inspiration to the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino after guiding the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.

Leeds kick off the season against champions Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday night.

And Carragher said: “For possibly the first time in their history, Leeds have become everyone’s second team.

“Fans are intrigued by Bielsa. They want him in the Premier League and I want to analyse his teams and try to find out exactly what he does.

“Bielsa is someone who some of the best managers in the world look up to.

“There is something special there, something different, and I am delighted that Leeds have come back up because it’s great to have another big club in the Premier League.”

Bielsa guided Leeds to the EFL title last season after losing out in the play-offs during a controversial first campaign which saw him hammered for spying on rival teams and hailed for being a bastion of fair play.

Carragher added: “I loved all that stuff about spying on Derby.

“The fact that he’s prepared to go to that extreme to want to win a game and then did a big presentation to the press is the kind of character you want in the Premier League.

“There’s a mystique about him, sitting on his bucket on the touchline.

Can Leeds upset Liverpool in their opening game? Have your say here

“I’ve been intrigued with him ever since I first came across him when he was the Argentina manager.

“I think we all love someone who is just mad on football – and I can’t wait to see him in the Premier League.”