'I don't think it's a coincidence' - Jesse Marsch explains ref 'strategy' in Leeds United's Man City loss

Jesse Marsch says clubs like Leeds United need to fight for refereeing decisions against 'big clubs' like Manchester City.
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The American was shown a yellow card by referee Paul Tierney during Saturday's 4-0 defeat, after fourth official David Coote brought something said from the Whites dugout to the attention of the man in charge.

One of Marsch's assistants, Cameron Toshack, was in close attendance when the yellow card was explained by Tierney, and the other - Franky Schiemer - had been involved in a furious back and forth with Coote just a few moments earlier.

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Marsch called his own interactions with the officials strategic, because he felt Leeds were not being treated as they should have been by Tierney.

"I call this human behaviour 101," he said.

"So I don't know if you guys have those kinds of courses in England, but we have those in the US. If the referee isn't behaving in a way that I think is appropriate, and I'm asking things to change, and they don't change, then I have no other recourse other than to adjust my behaviour to try to force the referee to change his. Is that a good strategy or not? I'll say this - after I get the yellow, I don't think it's a coincidence that they pick up a yellow in the next play."

Marsch insists his response to the officating was simply a response to a bigger team getting more decisions in their favour.

"It's about at times, without being disrespectful because I have respect for referees and I know it's a very difficult job, but when you play the biggest clubs and teams in the world, this is normal," he said.

REF STRATEGY - Jesse Marsch felt his change of 'behaviour' had an impact, although it earned him a yellow card from referee Paul Tierney during Leeds United's defeat by Manchester City. Pic: GettyREF STRATEGY - Jesse Marsch felt his change of 'behaviour' had an impact, although it earned him a yellow card from referee Paul Tierney during Leeds United's defeat by Manchester City. Pic: Getty
REF STRATEGY - Jesse Marsch felt his change of 'behaviour' had an impact, although it earned him a yellow card from referee Paul Tierney during Leeds United's defeat by Manchester City. Pic: Getty
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"I've seen it in Champions League. I've seen it in many different phases that the big club gets the calls and so you have to fight."

The specifics of Marsch's complaints included the free-kick from which Manchester City took the lead.

Stuart Dallas made contact with Raheem Sterling, who according to the Whites boss went to ground too easily. That was repeated as the game progressed, in Marsch's eyes, although he credited his players for keeping their heads amid the frustration. Marsch's Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, felt aggrieved that Jack Grealish had received a yellow given some of the challenges he received in the first half.

"I asked the the fourth official if he thought the foul that led to the first goal was a foul because I don't think it was a foul," said Marsch.

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"I think Sterling puts the ball by, he can't get to it, he falls down easy and he gets a foul. So I don't think that's a foul. I felt like over time, there were a lot of light fouls that they picked up, which can change the momentum of the game and obviously, it can frustrate players but I actually thought our players stayed pretty focused in the moment and didn't didn't allow to frustrate them and we talked a little bit about it at half-time."

The game also saw Junior Firpo receive his 10th yellow card of the season, from just 20 Premier League games. He joins Burnley's James Tarkowski, Brighton's Yves Bissouma and Southampton's Jan Bednarek at the top of the division's yellow card table. Leeds have 94 yellows in total this season, 18 more than any other Premier League outfit.