Leeds United reveal manager plan ahead of huge Everton relegation clash and Jesse Marsch reunion

Since sacking Jesse Marsch last Monday the Whites have encountered difficulty in securing one of the men on their initial shortlist, but their chief targets remain just that.

Andoni Iraola was among the frontrunners for the position yet extracting him from Rayo Vallecano has proved complicated and he would only give Leeds the green light if it could be amicably agreed with the LaLiga club. The Spaniard has now given his word to Rayo Vallecano, with whom he has put together an impressive period of time on his CV, that he will stay in position until the summer, when his contract ends.

Arne Slot, who has led Feyenoord to the top of the Dutch top flight this season and won the division's Manager of the Year award last term, was another who has been given serious consideration. Slot was not in the club's original shortlist because Leeds initially believed his availability was a barrier to any move and although they were evidently given cause to at least explore the possibility and believe he is open to the idea, there is no release clause in his deal and Feyenoord are fiercely opposed to letting him go. The 44-year-old told the Dutch media last Friday that he will remain at De Kuip for now.

Marcelo Gallardo, while currently out of work, is another who would be a more obtainable hire come the end of the season, and Nuno Espírito Santo, currently at Saudi club Al-Ittihad, has been considered but is not being actively pursued.

Bringing in an experienced interim boss until the summer has been mooted and is not something the club has ruled out entirely, with several candidates spoken to over the weekend including ex-Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder, but it stands to reason that anyone negotiating for a place in the dugout would likely want a deal stretching to at least 18 months and the board believe Skubala could be as good an option as any in the current situation. His management of the side for two games against Manchester United and the scenario he has found himself in has impressed the board and so he will continue to lead the team.

A former England futsal and England Under 18s coach, Skubala arrived at Elland Road last summer to take charge of the Under 21s and willingly stepped into the first team managerial breach last week. Leeds put in place a caretaker team of three, consisting of Paco Gallardo, Chris Armas and Skubala, but it is the latter who has taken the lead.

What the club's decision makers and players have appreciated during his short time in control is the sense of calm he has brought to what was an intense environment and how much he has attempted to simplify things. Subtle tactical tweaks rather than a wholesale system change have been Skubala's preference, particularly in light of how little time he has had to work with the team, and the reintroduction of width is understood to have gone down well with players.

The board were pleased with the improvement in the performance at Old Trafford, where Leeds led 2-0 before taking a point, and four days later at Elland Road they felt aggrieved not to have taken at least a point having been in control for large parts of the game.

At boardroom level the feeling that their decision to sack Marsch after Nottingham Forest was the right one, at the right time, co-exists with a recognition that it's a less-than-ideal time to be searching for a new manager. Skubala's impact has at least given them confidence that he can steer the side through two enormous relegation battles against the Toffees and Southampton, who in a remarkable, dramatic twist, are set to appoint Marsch as their new head coach.

Skubala has welcomed the chance to continue working with the side. He said: “I have really enjoyed the experience and the team and staff have responded well. I know I speak for Paco and Chris when I say that it is an honour to be on the touchline at this club. We will continue work tirelessly to help to push on up the table in the short term, whilst the board focus on the long term future of the team.”

Leeds will continue to assess the situation as talks over a permanent solution go on.