Luke Ayling has been speaking with the media, ahead of the Premier League fixture with Newcastle United at Elland Road.

He began by giving his reaction the recent home defeat by West Ham United, which saw the Whites take an early lead, but lose the game.

“I don’t think it was our best game, certain areas weren’t good enough,” he explained.

“On our set-pieces, we’re going through a bit of tricky time with them but we’re working hard to put that right and hopefully we can.

“We’ve got to stand up and be counted, to do a lot better at set-plays. Other teams are suffering the same things, it’s not just us.

“We’re only 12 games into the season and we’re still new to it, we’re still learning.”

Wednesday night’s opponents are Newcastle. Ayling and his Leeds United teammates are looking to get back to winning ways on home turf and the defender stated that he knows his side need to be better.

He said: “Steve Bruce has done brilliantly there, he’s got a team playing how he wants to play.

“We know it will be a very tricky game, very similar to the game we played against West Ham.

“I think it will be the same kind of way that they played, so we know we’ve got to do better, try and put our game out there and try to get the three points.

Now a 29-year-old, ‘Bill’ - as he’s affectionately known by most - recognises the player he has developed into at Elland Road. His versatility and high work-rate has seen him operate in a number of key positions, and become a constant regular in Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

“I’ve said it many a-time, when I signed here I was a half-decent Championship player, doing alright.

“Marcelo’s just taken me to that next level, got my body right. I thought I was in good shape, but then he came and changed it!

“He gives you so much confidence to go out and play your game, to do things the right way and that seems to work for me.

“I really enjoy playing for him.”