The right man for Leeds United, important comparison and big Arsenal hope - David Prutton

Arsenal have been superb, as shown in last weekend's 3-2 win against Liverpool, maybe VAR chat notwithstanding. They are a real force to be reckoned with and the main question is whether they can maintain momentum but Leeds can't really be fearful going into this game.

Jesse Marsch's side have now gone five games without a win but this is a game in which they have to stay in contention for as long as possible although that won't be easy by any stretch of imagination. This is an Arsenal side that are absolutely flying and a Leeds side that is stuttering.

But Leeds have got to use the fact that they are at home to their advantage and keep pace in the game. There was obviously plenty of chat about the Villa game at Elland Road but with the way that Arsenal are playing at this moment in time, they are not coming to slow the game down.

They are coming to win and I think a win at Leeds would also be a serious notch on their belt for any potential top four/top two/maybe top spot credentials because of how tough it is to come to Leeds to get something. Leeds have got to harness that and stay in the game for as long as possible but maybe the sense of playing a team where there is nothing to lose might free them up a bit. I'd like to think so.

Leeds need to make sure there are no acts of self-sabotage and have that sense of being defensively sound. The Arsenal attack has been transformed really with Gabriel Jesus through the middle and Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka either side.

We saw glimpses of it last season but they attack with pace and purpose from both the wider parts of the pitch to the more intricate parts centrally. Make no mistake, this is one hell of a test for Leeds and possibly a time to be playing them when you wouldn't want to, given what we've seen from not necessarily performances but recent results from a Leeds' point of view.

Leeds have taken just two points from a last possible 15 but they are three points better off than they were at this stage last season which is a great bit of perspective. It was all helter-skelter towards the end of last season and bite your nails type of territory. Maybe that type of perspective is needed.

But as Leeds manager you are constantly answering questions and I think Jesse Marsch is answering questions on a game by game basis with regards to personnel picks and results garnered against teams like Palace who were coming into last weekend's game on the back of a dodgy run.

Leeds got turned over by them and a draw against Aston Villa even though you have to consider the circumstances where you're down to ten men against Villa. There's work for them to do but with any manager there is a continued element of convincing the fans that you are the right man.

I think Jesse is and I think he is getting some good bits out of the team. It just boils down to that most important thing for any manager, club or team which is results. You can't get carried away by the recent lack of points as Jesse wasn't suddenly going to make a smattering of signings and turn the team into a comprehensive top half team.

That's not the case and you've got to be realistic. Look at Liverpool and where they are and the troubles that they are having and Man United at times and the troubles that they are having. There's only really Manchester City and also Arsenal that we have seen so far that are humming away or purring nicely.

The rest of it is a constant battle so I think if leads are in that bottom third battle and get themselves to 40 points or 40-ish points as soon as possible, then that's got to be the first port of call. I just think Leeds continues to be a work in progress and you see that even at some of the biggest themes in the Premier League.

The only thing that Leeds don't have the luxury of is looking back at 16 years' worth of constant Premier League action so there's bound to be nerves and there's bound to be tentativeness with these first few forays back into the Premier League.

Apologies if people read this and it makes you sound like 'little old Leeds.' But in Premier League terms, recent Premier League terms, they are. It's still in its infancy. Yes, Leeds were a mainstay of the old first division.

They were a wonderful part of a young vibrant Premier League which had some wonderful players, household names that went toe to toe with some of the best in Europe. But that fell away, they had to rebuild and this is still very much part of the rebuilding process.