Jesse Marsch urges Leeds United to have no regrets in Premier League survival battle

Ayling’s three-match ban for a two-footed tackle on Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal on Sunday leaves Junior Firpo as the only specialist senior full-back for the rest of the season.

Marsch could opt for wing-backs at home to Chelsea on Wednesday night but there are not many of them, either.

Jamie Shackleton, a central midfielder used at right-back this season, is a “possibility” but was tellingly not brought off the bench at Ashburton Grove, having not played first-team football since February through injury.

“It’s one of the possibilities,” said Marsch. “Jamie was hurt for a relatively long stretch since I’ve been here but I’ve got to know him more and more, I’ve watched him with the (Under-)23s, I’ve also gone back and watched the games he’s played this season and the moments he’s had on the pitch. I think he can potentially fit in whether we play with four or five.

“We’ve also visited the possibility of playing one of the centre-backs (at full-back), and Raphinha and Dan James, who did admirably in a five against Arsenal (at wing-back).”

Leeds started with a back five at home to Manchester City, and switched to it at Arsenal.

Marsch is also preaching positivity to his players. In that respect but no others the woeful goal difference which dropped them into the Premier League relegation zone is a help. With little realistic hope of an 18-goal swing in three matches, if they go behind they do not have to worry about risking losing more heavily in search of points.

“That’s definitely my way of leading – being positive,” said Marsch. “We had a talk (on Monday about) what’s involved.

“I said if this was the ninth game of the season and we went to Arsenal, went a man down and dug a big hole for ourselves, and second half we played like that and found a way to get back in the game and almost were able to tie the match, we would have taken it as a big positive. But the situation we’re in means there’s stress. We’re trying to manage that.

“We know we have to stay strong and play with no regrets and make sure we go after it. On gameday we have to be a combination of pragmatic and clever and do whatever it takes to tactically be sharp and clear, to defend our goal and to find ways to be dangerous.

“Stress doesn’t help and our ability to remove that and go forward in the ways we want (is important). This is why I love our fans in the stadium, they get it. They’re the ones I see in the street that are positive with me and the energy in the crowd at Arsenal or after the Man City game or during the Norwich game or whatever, this is what pushes us, what I think will help us achieve our goal (of avoiding relegation).

“These people are positive, behind us and know how to express that every time we’re in the stadium, so we will use that.

“Our fans don’t want to see us sat in our box for 90 minutes. They want to see us be aggressive. They want us to bring energy into the game and we want to do that.

“We don’t want to be careless, reckless, we want to be thoughtful, intelligent with our tactical plan and (use) our ability to be aggressive in the right moments.

“In the Man City match, as much as it was 4-0, we managed that part of it pretty well.”

Leeds are at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday before ending their season at Brentford seven days later.

Marsch is hopeful captain Liam Cooper will return from a knee injury but Patrick Bamford will again miss out.

“Liam Cooper, I said (before the Arsenal game) he was going to be ready to play,” said Marsch. “He trained the day before the press conference and I thought he was going to be available. Then he had a small reaction leading up to the match and we all just felt it was prudent we not push him with the possibility we could lose him for the remaining days.

“Patrick is on the pitch doing individual work, hopefully in team training by the end of the week, and doing fairly well.”