Jesse Marsch's greatest success story is preventing Leeds United transfer panic

The American manager could hardly have inherited a greater challenge when he took up the mantel of steering a team in crisis clear of relegation upon being appointed in February 2022.

From the outset, it was abundantly clear that Marsch’s regime would be a significant departure from that of his predecessor, Marcelo Bielsa; while the Argentine earned the respect of his players from a deliberate distance, Marsch takes a cosier approach, forming relationships with high fives and gushing praise.

In his very first press conference after just three days as the Whites head coach, Marsch could already offer character assessments of the members of his team and set out his approach to the task of swerving the drop.

"I’ve tried to just be positive myself, bring energy every day and allow them to have some freedom to express themselves within the group and within their relationship with me,” Marsch said.

"Even the energy on the pitch today is a very positive sign. Again, it’s got to add up so that when they go out on the pitch on Saturday, that they are as committed if not more, that they’re running for each other, that they’re doing everything they can to fight for the result in the ways that they have.

"The combination of enjoying the process, but with discipline and concentration to execute on gameday, and go after the game in every way - that’s what will help us get where we believe where we deserve to be.”

The former RB Leipzig boss threw everything at reducing what he recognised as ‘stress’, resulting from the stuttering efficacy of Bielsa’s methods and the looming threat of relegation, and carefully managed the adjustments he made so as not to overload the players.

One of the immediate beneficiaries of this process was Rodrigo, who was yet to win over the Elland Road faithful since arriving in LS11 for a club-record fee in the summer of 2020 – in Marsch’s first six games in charge, the Spaniard scored three goals, doubling his total for the season in the space of one month.

The purple patch directly followed Marsch’s promotion of the attacker to the squad’s council of senior leaders and the manager has since worked hard at his relationship with the 31-year-old.

“It’s not always easy pushing him and he’s very receptive to positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and honesty,” Marsch revealed ahead of the 2022/2023 season. “The more you give him, the more he wants.”

He was a tough nut for crack, but right now Marsch is seeing the results of his careful man-management – all four of United’s Premier League points, which have left them in sixth place, have been earned by goals scored by Rodrigo, currently the division’s top goal-scorer.

Marsch’s skilful handling of the club’s most expensive asset is preventing concerned calls from United fans regarding attacking reserves and transfer inactivity from developing into full-blown panic.

Amid a strong start to the season, the manager’s impact on his squad and its effect on results has not gone unnoticed by pundits.

“With Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips no longer at Elland Road, it's reasonable to assume Leeds might struggle this season,” former Spurs man Garth Crooks said in his explanation for including Rodrigo in his BBC team of the week.

"However, their opening fixtures have been very positive and all credit to manager Jesse Marsch, who seems to be bringing the best out of the players he's got, such as Rodrigo who now has three goals in two games after disappointing last season.

"What a pity Manchester United don't seem to have a manager who can do the same.”