LONDON — Leeds manager
Jesse Marsch suffered
a 1–0 defeat at Leicester in his first game in charge of the Premier League
strugglers, while Liverpool prepared for their chance to close the gap on
leaders Manchester City later on Saturday.
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Marsch has been hired to save Leeds from relegation
after replacing Marcelo Bielsa.
But he was unable to spark an immediate improvement
in Leeds’ fortunes as Harvey Barnes bagged the second-half winner in his 100th
Premier League appearance.
Defeat was cruel on Marsch’s side, who dominated for
long periods, but Leeds have lost their last five games and sit just two points
above the relegation zone.
Marsch is just the second American to take charge of
a Premier League club after Bob Bradley’s brief spell at Swansea in 2016.
The 48-year-old has already been derided in some
quarters as Leeds’ own Ted Lasso, in reference to the hapless American
appointed as manager of a fictional English team in a current television comedy
show.
Few US coaches have succeeded in
Europe and Marsch
acknowledged this week that the Lasso character added to the stigma as he
prepared for his first taste of the Premier League.
Marsch, dismissed by RB Leipzig in December after a
disappointing five-month spell, has a massive job on his hands to change
perceptions while keeping Leeds afloat.
Bielsa was worshipped by Leeds supporters after
masterminding their club’s long-awaited return to the Premier League.
But, while Bielsa awoke the sleeping giant, his
stubborn refusal to change his attacking game-plan was exposed in Leeds’ second
season back in the top-flight.
There were signs in this well-drilled display that
Marsch may be able to help shore up Leeds’ defense but time is running out to
keep them up.
Making two changes to the Leeds line-up as Mateusz
Klich and Rodrigo came in, Marsch nearly enjoyed a dream start when
Daniel James forced a good save from Kasper Schmeichel early on.
Former Leeds keeper Schmeichel was forced into
action again moments later to repel Jack Harrison’s effort.
Leeds frustrated
Bielsa was famous for his
curious habit of sitting on a bucket during games, but Marsch was a complete
contrast as he urged his players on while constantly moving around his
technical area.
Leeds fans sung about Bielsa throughout the match,
but Marsch’s name was also chanted by the traveling hordes during their team’s
promising start.
Rodrigo shot over after Harrison’s pass gave him a
sight of goal, while the Spaniard also appealed in vain for a penalty following
Caglar Soyuncu’s challenge.
Jamie Vardy was making his first start of 2022 after
coming off the bench to mark his return from a hamstring injury with a goal in
Leicester’s midweek win at Burnley.
But Vardy’s presence couldn’t inspire Leicester in a
spluttering first half for the Foxes, whose best chance was a header straight
at Illan Meslier from Wilfred Ndidi.
Leeds kept up the pressure after the interval and
James saw his shot deflect narrowly wide off Raphinha before Rodrigo’s header
drew a superb save from Schmeichel.
Only Schmeichel stood between Leeds and victory as
the Dane brilliantly denied Raphinha’s close-range effort.
But Bielsa’s reign had imploded with 20 goals conceded
in his final five matches.
Leeds hadn’t kept a clean-sheet since November and
once again they were exposed at the back as Barnes put Leicester ahead against
the run of play in the 67th minute.
Barnes played a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho
before guided a composed finish past Meslier from inside the area.
Later on Saturday, Liverpool can move within three
points of table-topping City if they beat West Ham at Anfield.
City play Manchester United on Sunday, giving Jurgen
Klopp’s side a chance to pile pressure on the champions before the derby at the
Etihad Stadium.
Elsewhere, Chelsea visit Burnley for their first league game
since Roman Abramovich announced his intention to sell the club amid Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine.
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