The frustration was etched across Jesse Marsch’s face as he sat down to speak to the press. The Leeds United head coach had hoped for more on the club’s return to Premier League action, but ultimately his side were outclassed by reigning champions Manchester City.
He’ll have felt the goals were avoidable and Leeds didn’t help themselves at times against a team that only needs half a chance to punish opposition and that’s exactly what they did as Rodri and Erling Haaland found the back of the net to seal a 3-1 win. Leeds did make a contest of it, though, and Marsch was well within his rights to point to the positives after the game as he fielded questions about his side’s performance.
The head coach seemed reluctant to single out individuals but he spoke highly of Illan Meslier when asked about him, he also mentioned the impact Mateusz Klich and Joe Gelhardt had when they stepped off the bench. However, while he didn’t mention him, Wilfried Gnonto’s performance on the left was surely one of the most pleasing aspects of the game for Marsch.
Read more: Every word Jesse Marsch said on Leeds United's defeat, Klich, Radrizzani comments, injuries, Haaland
With Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville both considered fit enough to be included in the squad, it came as a slight surprise to see Gnonto given the nod from the off. The Italian started United’s last league game at Tottenham Hotspur, but this was his second league start in Leeds colours and his first at Elland Road since making the move from FC Zurich over the summer.
The 19-year-old has had to be patient under Marsch and before Wednesday night’s game, he had made just three Premier League appearances having spent a large chunk of his time in West Yorkshire playing in the Under-21s side this season. However, he was one of Leeds’ shining lights during the World Cup break, catching the eye in a couple of mid-season outings and the head coach felt comfortable enough to give him a chance against Pep Guardiola’s side.
It’s fair to say he took that chance with both hands, too, with his direct running game and energy posing problems for the City back line. While Leeds did struggle to move the ball into the opposition’s half at times, Gnonto could be regularly seen carrying the ball down the left wing with pace and a touch of trickery as well.
Unfortunately, such was City’s superiority, he struggled to carve out a clear opening, but defenders Rico Lewis and John Stones certainly knew they were in a match at times and his mazy second half run into the box was a joy to watch. Gnonto got stuck in, too, picking up a yellow card for a shove on Jack Grealish, something that those in attendance particularly enjoyed.
Such was his performance, Marsch never felt the need to turn to the bench for wide reinforcements, meaning Harrison and Summerville, who struggled with injuries over the break, watched the entire game from the dugout.
“Some of the decisions we made were to protect guys a little bit to make sure that with a quick turnaround in a busy couple of weeks that we can turn around quickly,” Marsch said when asked about his selection decisions. “Cree we just felt like we didn't want to push because we wanted to not risk him and the same with Jack Harrison.”
On the next few days in training, Marsch added: “It'll be about trying to get the players like Jack and Cree and some of the others closer to being real match ready and then about recovering the others so that we can go again. We pushed training over the last four weeks so that our fitness levels would be high so we'd be ready for this so I think we will be.”
However, it’s safe to say the head coach won’t feel too pressured to bring either Harrison or Summerville back into the starting line-up against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon, regardless of their fitness status. Both players have plenty to offer the Whites, of that there is no doubt, and it’s a headache Marsch will be pleased to have as he assesses his wide talent moving forward.
Gnonto, though, has made himself hard to overlook with his performance against City and he could find himself being one of the first names included on the American’s teamsheet as Leeds prepare to face the high flying Magpies on New Year’s Eve.
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