Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa heaped praise on each other after an entertaining 1-1 draw at Elland Road in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spaniard Guardiola has made no secret of his admiration for Bielsa, with the City manager calling the Argentine the best coach in the world in the past, while saying this week the Leeds manager is the man he “probably admires most in world football”.

It is well known Guardiola adopted the same possession-based philosophy as Johan Cruyff at Barcelona but Bielsa is another man the Spaniard sees as a mentor, having flown to Argentina to ask him for advice before taking his first coaching role.

In the first meeting between the coaches in England, in the pouring Yorkshire rain, they stuck to their attacking principles, with fans watching from afar treated to 35 shots at goal as both sides went all out for victory.

“Tie was good, huh?” Guardiola said. “When both teams want to attack, it’s a good game. They are difficult to face because they have five players behind our midfield line and attack our defence. They are a fantastic team.

“It was an entertaining game for everyone. I’m incredibly proud of these players who enjoy football and come to this country and play many years at a high level. We couldn’t do more because the opponent was so good like all Marcelo Bielsa sides.”

“It would not have been fair if we won this game,” Bielsa said. “It was possible to win the game but it would not have been fair.”