FBL-ENG-PR-MAN UTD-LEEDS
FBL-ENG-PR-MAN UTD-LEEDS
Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko (L) vies with Leeds United's Slovenian defender #15 Jaka Bijol (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on April 13, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Leeds United centre-back Jaka Bijol is on international duty with Slovenia this week, where he teams up with under-fire Man Utd striker Benjamin Sesko.
Leeds’ start to the season has been pretty impressive so far. Nine points from five games is encouraging enough, but United boast the joint-best defence in the division at this stage too, alongside Everton.
It gives us plenty of optimism heading into a tough autumn schedule, as we take on Arsenal away after the break, before hosting Man Utd at Elland Road.
Leeds United’s Jaka Bijol jumps to defence of Man Utd’s Benjamin Sesko
Before that, the international break takes place, as we trudge through two weekends without club football under Daniel Farke.
12 of the Leeds senior squad are out on duty, including centre-back Jaka Bijol, involved in Slovenia’s four nations league fixtures, one of which against Nico Elvedi’s Switzerland.
Bijol has already been tasked with jumping to the defence of one of his international teammates, Man Utd star Benjamin Sesko.
The Old Trafford striker came in for criticism from Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt over a shin injury keeping him sidelined recently. Sesko was omitted by Michael Carrick during their 1-1 draw at Fulham.
“If it (your shin) isn’t broken, just wear your shinpads,” Scholes said.
Butt added: “You’re a player – you either break your shin or you play!”
Bijol though, has given a strong defence for his international teammate and club rival. He spoke this week about how the striker must ignore pressure from the media.
“I hope and believe that Beni knows how to distance himself from this kind of pressure,” Bijol said, per the Daily Mail.
“When things aren’t going your best on the pitch, and you have certain doubts, reading things like this can make your confidence even worse.
“He shouldn’t pay too much attention to it, since we all know what quality he has. He himself knows what kind of footballer he is, and I think he always shows it with incredible things on the pitch.”
Jaka Bijol needs international break to regain form ahead of Leeds United return
Bijol has seen his starting position ripped from him at Elland Road of late thanks to the form of Elvedi. And, he needs to use this four-game international break as a springboard.
Last season, Bijol took ages to get into the starting XI and never looked back once he started games. However, throughout that time on the bench initially, he was always putting in exceptional performances for Slovenia.
He’s ironically back into a similar spot now with Elvedi playing so well.
So, over the course of these upcoming games, Bijol needs to grab this opportunity and show to Farke that his place is still in the middle of our back three.