Jesse Marsch press conference live: Leeds United boss previews Arsenal and offers injury update
and live on Freeview channel 276
Leeds’ opponents this weekend have dropped just three points in the Premier League this season and remain unbeaten in this year’s edition of the UEFA Europa League. Arsenal visit Elland Road on Sunday with Leeds already on a five-game winless streak.
It promises to be Jesse Marsch’s sternest test as Leeds head coach this season, and perhaps his most difficult opponent since the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City late last season. The American vowed that the team would begin to pick up results during his post-match press conference at Crystal Palace last weekend, reiterating his belief in the squad and their ability to avoid a similar scenario to last year in which the Whites narrowly staved off relegation.
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Hide AdArsenal rested star striker Gabriel Jesus during their midweek Europa League encounter with Bodo/Glimt, as well as leaving a handful of first-team players in the UK ahead of that trip. Marsch is set to join reporters from 1:30pm this afternoon in his pre-match press conference at Leeds’ training base Thorp Arch.
Updates to follow on injuries and team selection throughout the afternoon.
Jesse Marsch press conference live: Leeds United boss previews Arsenal and offers injury update
Marsch on Harvey Sutcliffe’s injury
That’s been diagnosed with a torn ACL. We were all disappointed for Harvey. He’s done the ACL in the same knee before. He knows what the process is.
Marsch on performances
The first half against Palace is the best we’ve played since I’ve been here. We wind up walking away empty because we don’t get the result and turn it into a 90-minute performance. We’re growing but slower than we would like.
Marsch on Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has done an amazing job, I think he’s the most underrated manager in the league. With a young team he’s done an amazing job. It’s taken time, he took a lot of heat in the beginning. For us it can be a big boost to have a big result against an opponent like this. We’re confident at Elland Road we can play the way we want. We want to challenge them in certain ways.
Marsch on forwards
It’s keeping belief in the group, keeping the clarity and the confidence in our attacking group that they have what we need. We haven’t had a win in a long time and we feel that and we’re desperate to get this thing moving in the way that represents the progress we’ve made.
Marsch on season so far
For the most part we’ve played quite well through the runs of our matches, I feel like we’ve been in the match and we know how competitive the games are. We haven’t - apart from Brentford - given up many goals. I think the biggest room for improvement is goalscoring. It’s turning advantages into chances and chances into shots and shots into goals.
Marsch on Bamford
I think he’s getting closer and closer to being 100% which he knows he hasn’t been in quite some time. He’s looked quite good in training this week. He’s part of the solution for us. It’s getting him physically better, fitter and sharper around the goal. I think he’s a very important guy. We need to keep him sharp and fit.
Marsch’s injury update
Leo’s recovered well from his appendectomy. He was on the pitch today but won’t be available for another week. Adam’s surgery went well. Archie was on the pitch today and Stuart’s making good progress. We plan on bringing him along with us in whatever we do in December, hopefully an announcement on that soon. Everyone else is healthy including Junior Firpo
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