Luke Ayling gives thumbs up to Leeds United change made by Jesse Marsch after Leicester City loss

Marsch's first fixture as United's new head coach ended in defeat despite Leeds serving up 19 attempts at goal in Saturday's clash at the King Power.

Leicester offered just seven attempts but both teams managed four on target and the hosts left with all three points after Harvey Barnes netted the only goal of the game to give Brendan Rodgers' side a 1-0 victory.

Ayling, though, said fifth-bottom Leeds would be taking the positives, the current Whites captain in the absence of injured skipper Liam Cooper feeling that changes made by Marsch led to an improvement in being harder to break down.

Leeds deployed a continual man to man marking system under former boss Marcelo Bielsa but the Whites shipped in 20 goals in the five games that preceded Saturday's clash at Leicester, four of those ending in defeat.

Promotion-winning boss Bielsa was then sacked last weekend, Leeds unveiling former RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg boss Marsch as the Argentine's successor on Monday evening.

"We have to change the way we play," said Ayling, asked by BT Sport if he felt his side felt more secure without the one v one battles.

"Our new gaffer has come in and wants to change that and I know for me personally it felt like we were a lot more tighter and we weren't so stretched and I think that showed.

"We were close to second balls, we were playing forward pretty quickly and we got in some great positions to score the first goal which if we take we probably go on and win."

The Whites were regularly thwarted by Foxes 'keeper Kasper Schmeichel and new Leeds boss Marsch gathered his players into a huddle following the full-time whistle to issue a message to his side.

"I thought we did really well," said Ayling.

"It was a really hard start to the week but the boys have had four great days' training and taken a lot on board.

"There's a lot that we have had to change in the four days but I think we have shown out there how we plan to move forward.

"I am proud of our performance.

"That first goal is always massive in any game.

"I think if we score that goal then we probably kick on and win the game but that's football."

Asked what was said by Marsch in the post-match huddle, Ayling added: "Just what I said really, that we really played really well and we have not to take that into our next games.

"We can't get bogged down by these results, we have to take the positives out of it and try and take it into our next games."

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