Marsch: Blame me if Leeds go down

JESSE MARSCH expects to shoulder the blame if the unthinkable happens and Leeds United slide back into the Championship.

The Yorkshire giants are staring at the grim prospect of relegation just two seasons after returning to the Premier League following a 16-year absence.

Marsch replaced Marcelo Bielsa in February and steered Leeds to a five-game unbeaten sequence. Yet three straight defeats have plunged them into the relegation zone with just two games remaining — today’s home clash with Brighton and next Sunday’s trip to Brentford.

Marsch has had his critics since arriving at Elland Road and was asked whether he expects to be blamed if Leeds go down.

The 48-year-old American said: ‘The person in this position, when things don’t go well, always gets blamed. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a relegation scrap or whatever.

What I like is that when it goes well, I want it to be about the players, team, club and the fans.

‘That’s my belief of what this job is and, the better I do my job, then the credit can go to other places and we can enjoy success together.

‘Our focus right now is always to stay strong together, have a plan for Brighton and make sure we’re at our best. Of course it’s incredibly serious. There are bigger things in life than just football, but we are so aligned and committed here.’

Marsch realised Leeds were in a perilous position when he took the job, but is hoping his work with the squad can guide them to safety.

He added: ‘All I knew when I stepped into this situation was I was getting into the fire. But the gravity of the situation and difficulty of it has unified us even more.’