Leicester 1-0 Leeds: Harvey Barnes scores as Jesse Marsch loses first game in charge

Espnmyid
Jesse Marsch (centre)
Marsch was appointed Leeds manager on Monday

Jesse Marsch’s first game as Leeds boss ended in defeat as Harvey Barnes scored the only goal to give Leicester their second Premier League win of the week.

The winger produced Leicester’s one moment of attacking quality with a precise angled finish midway through the second half of a game in which they had been largely second best.

It has been an emotional week for Leeds since the departure of Marsch’s much-loved predecessor Marcelo Bielsa following a chastening month in which they conceded 20 goals and picked up only one point from a possible 15.

But they produced a lively and energetic display at the King Power Stadium that showcased a change of shape and the hard-pressing, direct football preferred by their American manager.

Better finishing from Jack Harrison, Rodrigo, Junior Firpo or Raphinha would have given Leeds a win they so desperately need to ease their relegation concerns.

Having spurned them, they left themselves vulnerable to a decisive moment like the one Barnes produced.

Victory lifted Leicester to 10th in the table. Leeds remain two points above the bottom three, having played two games more than 18th-placed Burnley.

No points but plenty of positives for Marsch

Whether you have Bielsa, Marsch or any other manager in charge, the old adage remains true: if you don’t take your chances when on top, you risk being punished.

It was a recurring failing of Leeds under Bielsa that they failed to make good on the bountiful chances they often produced in games long before they were shipping goals to the tune of 20 in a month.

While Marsch changed a number of things in his first game in charge – a new 4-2-2-2 formation and quicker play through the middle – it was the old problem of conversion that cost Leeds.

Kasper Schmeichel can take some credit for repelling the visitors, producing saves to deny Dan James, Harrison, Rodrigo and, in the best of all from close range, Raphinha.

Caglar Soyuncu was also on hand to brilliantly block Junior’s goalbound shot from inside the box.

This all set up Leicester, who until then had offered very little barring the occasional threat of the returning Jamie Vardy getting in on goal with long balls over the top.

Barnes is a player building his reputation weekly and, after sharing a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho, he slotted a low shot across goal and past the diving Illan Meslier.

Leeds continued to press forward, but their moment had passed and Leicester were able to see the game out to add another three points to those earned at Burnley on Tuesday.

Marsch gathered his players in a huddle in the centre circle at full-time. His message will surely have been to focus on the multiple positives.

No points, but plenty to take forward into a run of crucial games beginning with Aston Villa and Norwich at home next week.

Player of the match

JamesDaniel James

Leicester City

  1. Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel

  2. Squad number7Player nameBarnes

  3. Squad number9Player nameVardy

  4. Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton

  5. Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall

  6. Squad number14Player nameIheanacho

  7. Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü

  8. Squad number37Player nameLookman

  9. Squad number33Player nameThomas

  10. Squad number18Player nameAmartey

  11. Squad number25Player nameNdidi

  12. Squad number20Player nameChoudhury

  13. Squad number8Player nameTielemans

  14. Squad number24Player nameMendy

Leeds United

  1. Squad number20Player nameJames

  2. Squad number2Player nameAyling

  3. Squad number15Player nameDallas

  4. Squad number1Player nameMeslier

  5. Squad number21Player nameStruijk

  6. Squad number22Player nameHarrison

  7. Squad number5Player nameKoch

  8. Squad number10Player nameRaphinha

  9. Squad number3Player nameFirpo

  10. Squad number19Player nameRodrigo

  11. Squad number30Player nameGelhardt

  12. Squad number43Player nameKlich

  13. Squad number4Player nameForshaw

  14. Squad number11Player nameRoberts

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Schmeichel
  • 20ChoudhurySubstituted forLookmanat 61′minutes
  • 18Amartey
  • 4Söyüncü
  • 33Thomas
  • 8Tielemans
  • 25NdidiBooked at 53minsSubstituted forMendyat 76′minutes
  • 22Dewsbury-Hall
  • 11Albrighton
  • 9VardySubstituted forIheanachoat 61′minutes
  • 7Barnes

Substitutes

  • 12Ward
  • 14Iheanacho
  • 17Pérez
  • 23Vestergaard
  • 24Mendy
  • 29Daka
  • 37Lookman
  • 42Soumaré
  • 62Brunt

Leeds

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Meslier
  • 15Dallas
  • 2Ayling
  • 21StruijkBooked at 9mins
  • 3Firpo
  • 43KlichSubstituted forForshawat 70′minutesBooked at 71mins
  • 5Koch
  • 10Raphinha
  • 19RodrigoSubstituted forGelhardtat 63′minutes
  • 22HarrisonSubstituted forRobertsat 76′minutes
  • 20James

Substitutes

  • 4Forshaw
  • 9Bamford
  • 11Roberts
  • 13Klaesson
  • 30Gelhardt
  • 35Cresswell
  • 38Summerville
  • 42Greenwood
  • 46Shackleton

Referee:
David Coote

Attendance:
32,236

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