Leeds United verdict: Key changes and star man work oracle at Liverpool but warning is clear

That was Jesse Marsch's description of Leeds United’s recent points haul as they prepared for Liverpool. A haul of just two points from eight games that featured home advantage against Aston Villa, Everton and Fulham plus troubled Leicester City, bottom half Brentford and Crystal Palace.

Almost impossible then to think that Marsch's sliding Whites would get anything at Premier League powerhouses Liverpool in their own backyard? Let alone a victory? Think again. This, after all, is Leeds United, the Leeds United whose last victory came against another 'big six' side Chelsea way back in August and Marsch's Whites only went and did it again for a brilliant success that could and should prove a launchpad for better things to come.

Could and should, that is, because August's Elland Road triumph against the Blues appeared to suggest just what Marsch's Whites might be capable of in the club's third season back in the Premier League. The impressive 3-0 win against what was then Thomas Tuchel's Blues put a still unbeaten Whites side into third place of a table still very much in its infancy. To a degree, it still is now, with Leeds still only one third of their way through the 2022-23 campaign.

But there was no escaping the grim reality of United's position as they headed for Anfield, a reality that had Marsch's side sat in the division's relegation zone, second bottom and level on points with basement side Nottingham Forest.

There was little point reading too much into United's position in the table after just three games played and no sense in getting carried away by beating Chelsea. Marsch said as much himself and knew there would be bumps in the road to follow, ups and downs rather at this club.

But a subsequent return of just two points from a possible next 24 plummeted Leeds down the table, below the dreaded dotted line and naturally led to Marsch facing questions about his job as head coach. The American accepted that. This is, after all, a results-based industry and one in which United's hierarchy must do everything in their power to avoid dropping back to the second tier just three years after coming up.

The Elland Road faithful let their feelings be known loud and clear after last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Fulham, a fourth loss on the spin in which United's fans vented their anger at not just Marsch but moreover the board. But Marsch insisted that he had the full support of chairman Andrea Radrizzani, chief executive Angus Kinnear and director of football Victor Orta and on a spooky Saturday night in Merseyside it all came good, against Liverpool of all teams.

In fairness, Marsch was right to be left scratching his head at how Leeds had taken just two points from the eight games that followed the Chelsea triumph. Put simply, a continued failure to take their chances in front of goal coupled with at times atrocious defending was continually costing Marsch's side dear and threatening to cost him his job.

Yet two young men in particular helped ensure that the rot was stopped at Anfield as a an incredible performance from 22-year-old French keeper Illan Meslier and an 89th-minute winner from even younger Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville proved crucial in bagging a first win in nine that suddenly has Leeds sat 15th and one point clear of the drop zone.

Two nights before Halloween, Leeds looked set for a scary night at Anfield given the way that Jurgen Klopp's side started. Only a goal line clearance from Pascal Struijk prevented the Reds from going ahead after just 40 seconds following a mix up between Meslier and captain Liam Cooper. But Liverpool then put on a fourth-minute horror show of their own to allow Marsch's side to take the lead.

Defender Joe Gomez looked to find keeper Alisson with what should have been a simple back pass from the right flank but his wayward effort sent the Brazilian stopper scrambling and Alisson then completely lost his footing to leave Rodrigo with a tap in.

"Not helpful" as Reds boss Jurgen Klopp put it and his side struggled to immediately respond.

Indeed, Leeds had the game's next chance as Jack Harrison cut inside from the right only to send a curler over and wide. But a side featuring a front three of Darwin Nunez, Mo Salah and Bobby Firmino not to mention the stars behind them were always likely to cause problems and Liverpool did that twice before equalising just ten minutes after Rodrigo's opener.

The Reds would have drawn level in the 13th minute but for the first of what would prove a catalogue of brilliant saves from Meslier to deny Firmino from a tight angle after he had been played in behind the back line. But Leeds then struggled to deal with two crosses from either flank following the corner and the second of those deliveries from Andy Robertson was flicked home by Salah at the far post.

The tide had quickly turned yet the Whites responded by giving at least as good as they got as part of a breathless night of end to end football. Three minutes after Salah's strike, a vital clearance from Robin Koch prevented Nunez from having a tap in but Leeds then countered only for Harrison to be tackled with Aaronson free on his left.

Four minutes later, only the crossbar prevented Aaronson from giving the Whites the lead as his volley from the middle of the box after a Rasmus Kristensen cross smashed back off the frame of the goal. Harrison then once again cut inside only to fire a good chance straight at Alisson before Kristensen skewed an effort wide.

But Liverpool finished the second half strongly and Nunez was twice denied, firstly by a crucial Kristensen clearance and then by another brilliant save from Meslier who stuck out a leg to thwart his efforts to turn him when played through one on one.

After a crunching but fair full blooded tackle between the excellent Tyler Adams and Fabinho, the half then ended with a Robertson cross being deflected narrowly wide after Salah had earlier fired straight at Meslier before Leeds wasted two free-kicks as awful efforts from Harrison and Aaronson were sent into orbit.

Mercifully, the second half began at a slower tempo but that did not last and Meslier flew off his line to gather a dangerous Nunez cross four minutes after the restart. Marsch then made his first chance as Patrick Bamford replaced Rodrigo in the 52nd minute but it was a Leeds player already on the pitch that proved the difference in the second half in Summerville as the Dutch winger gradually had more and more impact after the break, continually causing problems down the right.

Yet United were ultimately indebted firstly to Meslier who pulled off another fantastic save in the 67th minute to again deny Nunez who had been played in after Copper had lost the ball to Salah. Moments later, the Frenchman thwarted Jordan Henderson's attempts to squeeze home a shot from a tight angle before Salah saw a fierce attempt deflected over.

Marsch, though, made what proved another crucial change with 18 minutes left as 18-year-old summer recruit and Italian international Willy Gnonto was finally handed a Whites debut in replacing Harrison on the left flank. In the moments after his introduction, Liverpool continued to go close and Salah again cut in from the right only to send an ambitious attempt at a lob over.

The Reds were then denied by yet another outstanding save by Meslier who tipped a curler from Nunez that was heading for the top corner over the bar. His saves would prove the platform for an incredible victory but Leeds looked to have blown their big chance of landing that win in the 80th minute when Bamford failed to control the ball or take a first time shot with the goal gaping after Summerville's neat pass.

At the other end, three more superb saves from Meslier followed as Nunez, Salah and finally Firmino were denied, the latter feeling to beat the Frenchman with a completely free header from close range. United's keeper looked to have earned his side a point yet it turned out to be three as Marsch's side then went up the other end to stun Anfield with an 89th-minute winner in which Gnonto played a crucial role.

The tricky and diminutive Italian took the ball down the left flank and managed to bide his time before sending in a low cross that Bamford helped onto Summerville and the Dutchman then sent the away end wild by poking home a neat finish into the bottom right.

Having gone eight games without winning, Leeds were about to do so at Anfield, for the first time since April 2001 though the Whites then had to withstand one last Reds push and seven minutes of added time. Within it, there was one last piece of heroic goalkeeping from Meslier to smother the ball at the feet of Robertson, the final save as part of a truly sensational performance from the Frenchman.

Never mind Marsch admitting beforehand that he was sick of losing, Liverpool will have been sick of the sight of United's French keeper as the Reds suffered their fourth defeat of the season already. This, though, was Leeds United's night. You wouldn't have thought so beforehand, but it was and it's now imperative that plenty more of them follow.