Marsch ready to take over at Elland Road

MARCELO BIELSA was last night facing the sack after his Leeds team were booed off at Elland Road following a fourth straight defeat.

The American, Jesse Marsch, most recently in charge of RB Leipzig, is in line to replace Bielsa, who admitted following yesterday’s defeat by Spurs that his players were losing confidence in him.

Bielsa took over at Leeds in 2018 and the Argentinian guided them to the Championship title in his second season before a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League.

But Leeds have conceded 20 goals in their last five matches and have taken just one point from 18 to leave them one place above the relegation zone.

‘Of course this situation is serious,’ Bielsa said. ‘No team with such a run of defeats maintains the confidence with what they are doing or the confidence in the coach.

‘What am I trying to say to you? If I evaluate the effort they are giving, I feel totally backed by what the team is trying to do because they are giving their all. But clearly, I cannot ignore those who give their effort and get nothing in return. So yes, they start to doubt what they are doing. We need to impose what we are attempting and we are not doing it. The results continue to show that the team is not stable.

‘Obviously it is not just this game, it’s a succession of results. I propose the style of play the players take forward and, at the moment, it’s very difficult for us to impose our way of playing.

‘When a style of play is effective, that means the coach interpreted things well. When the opposite happens, I have to admit what I am proposing is not working,’ Bielsa said. ‘When a process doesn’t give the expected results, it’s natural the one taking it forwards starts to lose confidence. It’s a consequence that is expected — when it’s not as effective as it used to be it becomes more difficult. The positive things are contagious, but also the negative ones.’

Leeds have conceded a league high of 60 goals. ‘No team can think of progressing if you have a defensive weakness that is so manifested like ours,’ Bielsa said. ‘I insist the way we try is not a problem, just the way we have defended.’

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Antonio Conte declared himself happy with his players’ response three days after he questioned his own future following defeat by Burnley.

‘Sometimes I use soft words, sometimes I use strong ones, but with only one target — to improve many aspects and I think every day these players show me great commitment,’ Conte said.

‘We have to improve in many ways and today I have seen great desire in every zone. This has to be a starting point for us and not just

an episode. I asked for a big answer and they gave it to me.’