Marcelo Bielsa felt winning 50/50 balls was the key factor in Rovers’ win over Leeds United at Ewood Park.

The Leeds boss felt the work of Rovers trio Danny Graham, Richie Smallwood and Corry Evans was proved to be the difference.

That was despite the visitors enjoying 68 per cent possession, which Bielsa felt showed his side were the better of the two sides.

“The 50/50 balls, the team that wins the 50/50 balls shows a big implication and the team who loses the 50/50 balls doesn’t win them because they are indolent,” Bielsa said post-match.

“Our team was focused on the game and was implicated on the game.

“We also have to take in to account the features of the opponent are different than the features of our players.”

“Graham, Smallwood and Evans are more prepared than our players for the 50/50 balls.

“Our players are better when we have to keep the ball and play with the ball and the opponent is better for the 50/50 balls.

“It doesn’t mean what Blackburn did is wrong. They tried to find situations that allowed them to use their skills and we did the same.

“The offensive players of the opponents created difficulties for our defence.”

Rovers scored twice from set plays, with Danny Graham heading the hosts in to a second minute lead from Harrison Reed’s delivery.

And Darragh Lenihan nodded in the winner 20 minutes from time as he met a Craig Conway left wing corner.

But Bielsa, whose side missed the chance to go top of the table, felt both could have been stopped.

He added: “We could have avoided the two goals they scored.

“We work on set-pieces each week as much as I can.

“It’s fair to recognise, apart from their two goals, they had other chances to score.

“If they scored thanks to these chances it wouldn’t have been an unfair thing.”

Leeds, who lost for a second time this season, now have nine points from their last seven games.

And on their run of form, Bielsa added: “It's a loss and it's happened in a bad moment for us.

“We needed to win this game especially after the draw in the last home game (against Brentford).

“Negative results are always a source of worry but I also evaluate the play and the feelings I have about the game today are better than the ones I had after the last game.

“Our goal was to avoid our result going through a negative cycle. Now we had to find solutions as soon as possible.”