Jesse Marsch's first Leeds United game mixes positives with familiar frustrations

After failing to put their chances away, Leeds United lost to a sloppy goal, and were handicapped by another injury.

It all added up to a 1-0 Leicester City win. Somehow.

And to rub salt into the wounds, Tyler Roberts spent the last 14 minutes (with stoppage time) hobbling around the middle of the park as a passenger threatening to do as much damage to his own right leg as to Leicester's goal from moments after coming on as Leeds's final substitute. Whatever else he is, Marsch is no lucky charm.

That much was evident when, 22 minutes into a second half played largely at the other end, former Barnsley loanee Harvey Barnes exchanged passes with Kelechi Iheanacho and slipped the ball past Illan Meslier into the net.

At full-time the American coach gathered his team into a huddle in the centre circle before going to applaud the away fans as a few in the home section chanted "Going down."

Marsch's set-up was a bit of old and new - a very Bielsaesque defensive line-up in terms of the personnel with Stuart Dallas at right-back, Luke Ayling in the centre and Robin Koch in midfield but the formation was much narrower.

But the difference was that Koch had a midfield partner in Mateus Klich, just as Dan James had Rodrigo alongside him up front as the American went for a 4-2-2-2 formation with Raphinha and Jack Harrison playing very tight.

It made it easier for the team to press as a collective and gave them a more solid look although it did not stop Leicester City with all their counter-attacking ability making it the sort of open game Leeds fans have grown very used to.

They started brightly, Koch shooting wide for distance noiw he had more freedom to get forward and Ayling heading off target at a corner. At the other end, Meslier was almost caught over-playing by Kieran Dewsbury-Hall.

Jack Harrison had a shot saved by the feet of Kasper Schmeichel after a good run by James.

Meanwhile, Marsch would wander out of his technical area at times to shout encouragement or give advice, at others striking dramatic poses reminiscent of Carlos Corberan's in the Huddersfield Town technical area.

Although Jamie Vardy, whose counter-attack from Harrison's shot produced a Pascal Struijk foul and a booking, Dallas had to head clear at a corner and Barnes looked a real threat down his side of he field, it was all good enough for the Leeds fans who had been chanting Marcelo Bielsa's name as everyone knew and accepted they would to briefly break into "Jesse, Jesse Marsch" in the 23rd minute, before going back to saluting his predecessor.

Two strikers or not, there was still no one on the end of Harrison's 29th minute cross. No matter where you lay them, James and Rodrgio wuill never be fully-fledged "Sniffers" and Patrick Bamford was only fit enough for the bench on his comeback from injury. It was a chance he would most likely have put away but with others prefered as substitutes, he never made it on.

Leeds finished the half confidently, Rodrigo's deflected 40th-minute cross falling for Firpo, who having been fairly reserved up to then appeared on the penalty spot to hit a shot which stuick Caglar Soyuncu rather than the back of the net.

Rodrigo ended the half with a sliced volley, but in btween the two chances Wilfred Ndidi should have done better than to shoot straight at Meslier from a corner.

Leeds went up another gear after the interval, Rodrigo diverting a wayward James shot off target, Harrison hitting a shot he sliced across just over with the aid of a deflection, and Rodrigo's back header from the corner forcing a save.

With Firpo again appearing at centre-forward on the hour to produce a shot Schmeichel saved with his left shin and substitute Joe Gelhardt's first contribtion a shot wide from Raphinha's pull-back, it felt like a goal was coming.

It was. Just not at that end.

Barnes played a one-two and from nowhere the Foxes were in front.

Adam Forshaw was booked as soon as he came on Roberts' introduction was even more disastrous, apparently pulling a muscle in hsi right leg as he kicked a boot aiming for the ball.

Forshaw went into a back three as Leeds pushed in vain for an equaliser but it left them more exposed, Ayling needing some brilliant defending to stop Ndidi going through one on one, Struijk blocking well from Barnes and Youri Tielemans shooting at Meslier.

With Gelhardt's late shot deflected it was not to be, but it was much more encouraging than the previous three games.

Leicester City: Schmeichel; Choudhury (Lookman 61), Amartey, Soyuncu, Thomas; Tielemans, Ndidi (Mendy 75); Dewsbury-Hall; Albrighton, Vardy (Iheanacho 61), Barnes.

Unused substitutes: Ward, Perez, Vestergaard, Daka, Soumarée, Brunt.

Leeds United: Meslier; Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Firpo; Klich (Forshaw 70), Koch; Raphinha, Harrison (Roberts 75); Rodrigo (Gelhardt 63), James.

Unused substitutes: Bamford, Klaesson, Cresswell, Summerville, Greenwood, Shackleton.

Referee: D Coote (Nottinghamshire).