Leicester’s Harvey Barnes punishes Leeds to hand Jesse Marsch losing start

Life after Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds does not look dull but for all the promise, fun and trademark buccaneering style, there was a painfully familiar outcome as Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge of the club ended in a slender defeat.

Leeds piled forward with their typical gusto and despite creating countless chances, they departed Leicester with nothing to show for an encouraging performance after Harvey Barnes’s cool second-half finish earned his side back-to-back wins. Leeds have not kept a clean sheet since November and while suffering another pounding never appeared likely, improving the Premier League’s leakiest defence must be high on Marsch’s list of priorities.

Brendan Rodgers paid tribute to Bielsa in his programme notes, saying he believes “the Premier League will be a poorer place without his values”. A first glimpse of Leeds in the post-Bielsa era made for exciting viewing. Leeds flexed between a 4-2-3-1 and the 4-2-2-2 formation Marsch favoured at Red Bull Salzburg to ensure Daniel James was rarely isolated.

The first half was played at a frenetic pace, James whistling a shot wide inside the opening couple of minutes and Leeds did not relent. Marsch conceded he was not in pursuit of perfection but there were plenty of positives for him to scribble on a notepad tucked into his overcoat. Junior Firpo found joy marauding forward from left-back and Rodrigo, one of two changes from the team dismantled at home to Tottenham, blasted over after a move he started but the killer blow eluded them.

Leeds kept Kasper Schmeichel busy on his 461st Leicester appearance – the third-highest tally of any player in the club’s history – and Raphinha would have converted Firpo’s cross at the front post had the Denmark goalkeeper