New Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch will be hoping to stamp his authority at Elland Road instantly following his arrival on Monday.
Marsch was confirmed as the Whites’ new boss on a three-and-a-half-year deal, replacing the outgoing Marcelo Bielsa who has undoubtedly left a long-lasting legacy at Elland Road.
The 48-year-old arrives at Leeds with the club sat just two points ahead of the bottom three and on the back of a desperate run of form.
However, Leeds’ next new fixtures will hand Marsch the opportunity to hit the ground running, as three of the next four matches are against sides currently in the bottom half of the table.
Here is a look at Leeds’ run up until the international break at the end of this month.
Saturday 5 March – Leicester City (a)
At the time of writing ahead of tonight’s game with Burnley, Leicester City remain the only side without a win in the Premier League in the calendar year of 2022.
The Foxes have failed to hit the heights under Brendan Rodgers this term as the previous two campaigns and have particularly struggled defensively this season with injury problems to Wesley Fofana and Jonny Evans.
Leeds, though, have been very leaky at the back of late and Marsch will have to ensure they are defensively sound to deal with the likes of Jamie Vardy, James Maddison and Harvey Barnes.
Verdict – A trip to the King Power Stadium is no longer the daunting prospect it once was and Leeds must target this match as a way of returning to form.
Thursday 10 March – Aston Villa (h)
Just over a month on from the 3-3 draw between these two sides at Villa Park, no one would have predicted Leeds to have a new man in the dugout for the return fixture.
Leeds dominated for 70-75 minutes of the game in February but were undone by a poor spell of defending that saw them concede three times in quick succession.
The Whites will know they can cause Villa problems at the back and if they are able to keep it tight at their own end, a victory is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility.
Verdict – Villa’s defence struggled to deal with Leeds’ pace last month and if Marsch can get his attack firing again like that night, three points is there for the taking.
Sunday 13 March – Norwich City (h)
There is no two ways about it, this game is simply a must win for Leeds, irrespective of how they get on in their matches against Leicester and Villa.
After a mini-January revival, Norwich’s form has taken a turn for the worst in recent weeks with one point from four matches.
The Canaries were abysmal against Southampton last Friday and so the blueprint is there for all to see in order to get a result.
Verdict – With a leaky defence and a toothless attack, Leeds will fancy their chances of securing victory over a Norwich side who look destined for the drop.
Friday 18 March – Wolves (a)
Undoubtedly the toughest of the four matches before the international break, Leeds will be hoping the pressure for points has eased slightly ahead of their trip to Molineux.
Wolves currently boast the best defensive record outside the top three and they are certainly a side you do not want to fall behind against.
Verdict – Having said that, Wolves are the third lowest scorers in the league and if Leeds are able to tighten up under Marsch defensively, they will fancy themselves to get some sort of result.
