Jesse Marsch says his focus during Leeds United's "mini-pre-season" has been on making the team more stable defensively, and particularly on being better after scoring the first goal.

The Whites have conceded 26 goals in 14 Premier League games – only three teams have conceded more this season.

But Marsch's biggest concern is the number of times his side have scored the first goal without winning. Leeds have opened the scoring in seven league matches but only beaten Chelsea, Liverpool and Bournemouth.

With only three World Cup call-ups – and only one for a defender, Rasmus Kristensen – Marsch has been able to spend time on the training ground with the bulk of his squad since the Premier League went on hold in mid-November for the tournament.

DEFENSIVE FOCUS: Leeds United coach Jesse Marsch

They had a training camp in Marbella and have two Elland Road friendlies – at home to Real Sociedad on Friday and Monaco a week later – to prepare for the visit of Manchester City on December 28.

Asked his priorities in the break, Marsch told NBC: "Defensively we just want to be more stable. We feel like it's been too easy to create big chances against us, we've given up too many goals.

"We've even looked at what our behaviours are like after we get a one-goal lead and our inability to hold that lead for long enough to either sustain the game we want to play or add to the lead.

"We believe part of it is when we get the lead we almost get into protection mode instead of staying on the front foot to continue to go after the game.

"There's been a stretch of games where I've felt we've been the better team and we walk away with no points."

Jesse Marsch says Leeds United's focus is to find more defensive stability when Premier League returns from World Cup