Leeds beaten by Leicester in Marsch’s first game as boss

Leicester City’s English striker Ademola Lookman (L) vies with Leeds United’s English striker Joe Gelhardt (R) during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Leeds United at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on March 5, 2022. – Leicester won the game 1-0. (Photo by Geoff Caddick / AFP)

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.

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.

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