The Leeds United players who might particularly step forward under Jesse Marsch and why

Legendary promotion-winning boss Bielsa was sacked at the weekend following the 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur and Marsch's tenure will begin with Saturday lunchtime's clash at Leicester City.

The Whites will be hoping that the American's appointment arrests United's recent slump as a whole but which players might benefit the most from the arrival of the new head coach?

We pick out a few Whites men who might particularly step forward under the change of management.

Joe Gelhardt

Marsch has enjoyed plenty of success with developing youngsters at his previous clubs and, in any case, with or without that track record, Gelhardt is surely just the sort of player that a new boss will look to utilise more.

Bielsa was responsible for handing the young forward his full debut in September's EFL Cup clash at Fulham and Gelhardt has already amassed 12 first team appearances for the Whites.

But only two of those outings have been starts in the league clashes away at Tottenham and at home to Arsenal, both times of which Leeds had a whole host of players out.

Patrick Bamford is clearly United's first choice striker but Bielsa seemed to prefer winger Dan James as his next option in the position, Gelhardt also battling Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts for opportunities upfront.

Jack Harrison has also been used up tops.

But there can be no denying that Gelhardt is an extremely exciting young talent and one that might take a very big quick step forward, particularly if Marsch plays two upfront.

Four Four Two magazine recently named Gelhardt as the 31st most exciting wonderkid in world football and he needs more of a chance to show why.

Charlie Cresswell

Cresswell is another very promising Whites youngster who has had to be patient for game time, even more so than Gelhardt.

The 19-year-old experienced a setback in December when dislocating his shoulder but even when fit, the teen has been a similar boat to Gelhardt, in the defender's case behind Diego Llorente, Pascal Struijk, Robin Koch and Luke Ayling as centre-back options, plus captain Liam Cooper and also Kalvin Phillips when fit.

Quite where Cresswell should feature in the centre-back pecking order is open to debate but he certainly looks worthy of a more prominent role although given United's appalling defensive record of late although Bielsa's tactics and also the opposition needs considering in that perspective.

Nevertheless, Cresswell is a natural leader who is brilliant in the air and it's not hard to see him climbing the ranks.

Leo Hjelde, Sam Greenwood, Crysencio Summerville and Lewis Bate are among other youngsters that appear as the most likely candidates when it comes to ones who could play a more prominent role whilst it will be fascinating to see what happens with Cody Drameh after his loan spell with Cardiff City.

Robin Koch

It's a bit of a guessing game as to what formation Marsch will play and it probably depends on each particularly opponent although maybe less so than in Bielsa's case when a two-man strike force would always be combated by a back three.

But Marsch has often deployed a 4-2-2-2 system and the versatile Koch could play as one of the two centre backs or as one of the two deeper midfielders in such a formation.

Marsch and Koch also both have experience of the Bundesliga and the German international could play an even more prominent role under the new boss.

Rodrigo

It goes without saying that Marsch will be looking to get the absolute most out of the players at his disposal, and United's record signing naturally has to be high on that list.

Rodrigo has often been held back by injury niggles since his £28m switch from Valencia in the summer of 2020 and he's also continually flitted between being used as a no 9 or a no 10.

But the Spanish international is a class act on his day and Marsch will be looking for the 30-year-old to thrive, perhaps in a front two.

Slightly further back, ensuring that star man Raphinha gets back to his brilliant best will also be key after a recent lull.

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