Jesse Marsch knows his Leeds United side need to turn in something close to a season-best performance to return to winning ways at Liverpool this weekend. The Whites haven’t picked up three points in the Premier League since seeing off Chelsea in convincing fashion in August and they have consequently slipped into the relegation zone.
As such, the pressure is starting to mount on Marsch at Elland Road and after eight games without a win, Leeds are desperate to get back on the horse this weekend. Of course, attempting to leave Anfield with maximum points can be a thankless task and Marsch is aware that his side have their work cut out if they’re to turn their form around this weekend.
However, he’ll take confidence from his side’s previous showings against top six sides this season, after pushing Arsenal all the way, too.
Read more: Predicted Leeds United line-up vs Liverpool as Jesse Marsch decides on six doubts
"We have to be disciplined and compact,” Marsch told the press before Saturday’s trip to Merseyside. “We don't want to open the game up where they can be running the entire match and using their talent and qualities in open space, but we have to still find ways to command the game in what we do with the ball and in possession and then.
“It has to be our best game, our best counter-pressing game, it has to be our most disciplined game, and it has to be our most intensive game. In those standards we have to know make sure that we're at our highest level."
He added: “It's not that we see a weakness in them, it's can we challenge them in the intensity in which we play and with the ball can we limit them as much as possible, can we limit them on set-plays where they've been incredibly effective and can we not let them get out on the counter and can we find more situations where we can get out on the counter.
“Both teams like to play on the counter and they're one of the most lethal in the world at that. I wouldn't describe Liverpool as having weakness, I'd try to say we will have a game plan and we will try to stick to it and we will try to execute it to the best of our ability to give ourselves the best chance in the match."
Of course, Liverpool have been far from consistent this season, as their league position of eighth demonstrates, and last Saturday they were stunned by newly promoted Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. They managed to bounce back convincingly in midweek against Ajax, but Marsch won’t be reading too much into their up and down form.
"I know Liverpool, I've gotten to know Jurgen Klopp a little bit over the years,” the American said. “He's relentless in his commitment to make his team better and his belief of the way he does things.
“Liverpool for me has been one of the best teams in the world over the last four or five years. I think no matter what, that is a group of professional players that understand what the demands are. They have a lot of niggling injuries right now.
“Their backs have been against the wall already a little bit in this year, in different ways than where we're at, but we know the quality they have, we know at home they're incredibly good. The way they responded in the game against Ajax shows everything and we're expecting them at their absolute best."
READ NEXT:
Leeds United suffer Liverpool double whammy after controversial Marsch-Klopp rulings
'In this together': Everything Leeds United and Jesse Marsch have said about his Elland Road future
'Lost the fight': Raphinha hammered by Spanish press as Barcelona exit Champions League
Every word Jesse Marsch said on Liverpool, injuries and his Leeds United future
Jesse Marsch comes out swinging with his back against Leeds United's door
