"It's not that City played very well, it's a lot more noticeable how badly we played," Bielsa said.

"City play like this all the time, or similar to it."

He added: "We have never played so badly in these four years."

Bielsa is enduring his worst spell since taking over as Leeds manager in 2018. He led them to promotion in his second season and then ninth last term on their return to the top flight.

But 1930-31 is the only time before that they have been on fewer points than their current 16 after 17 games (adjusting past tables to three points for a win).

Since joining the Football League in 1920, this was Leeds' joint biggest defeat in any competition (level with 8-1 against Stoke in 1934, 7-0 to West Ham in 1966 and 7-0 to Arsenal in 1979).

Bielsa has been a manager for 568 club games over 31 years, and had never conceded seven goals before.

"There is nothing positive to take away from our performance. I can't find anything that can be of value," he said.

"What I proposed was not good enough. You can deflect the attention when some things work and some don't but when nothing works the decisions of the one in conduction define what happens.

"The ideas, solutions, what I proposed and organised - none of it worked.

"In no moment were we able to balance the game. The sensation we gave off, anything they attempted we couldn't prevent it and anything we attempted wouldn't prosper.

"In their half nothing happened and in our half everything happened."