Leeds v Bournemouth: Jesse Marsch on why United stars won't be distracted by World Cup

It won't have escaped anyone's attention that this weekend is the penultimate round of Premier League action before football's charabanc heads to Qatar for the World Cup.

Least of all those Leeds supporters who will make their regular pilgrimage to their own personal cathedral of Elland Road - by land, sea or air - this Saturday for the final time until December 28.

Club managers at the top level can publicly speak about their players' commitment as much as they like, but some will be distracted and try to protect themselves to avoid injury and missing out on the jamboree in the Gulf.

There are several good reasons as to why that will not be the case at Leeds and why Jesse Marsch's comments about the total dedication of his own players won’t ring hollow.

Leeds fans possess the innate capacity to spot a player not being committed at Elland Road from the far side of Briggate. It won't be tolerated and it will be remembered.

Leeds' super-aggressive modern-day playing style and physical output demands that players must empty the tank on every matchday. Marsch won't have it any other way.

His players' head into Saturday's game after covering a staggering 121,2 kilometres in last weekend's memorable win at Anfield, the highest distance covered by a team in a top-flight game this season. They outran Liverpool by 11 km.

No player has covered more ground in a Premier League match this season than Brenden Aaronson's staggering 13.2km last week.

Aaronson is one of a number of United players likely to be on World Cup duty. Others include Tyler Adams, Ramus Kristensen, Mateusz Klich, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and possibly Pascal Struijk.

Expending a colossal amount of physical energy in games can leave players open to muscle strains in particular. High intensity football will always carry that risk. Risk and reward you might say.

For other reasons, commitment must be total at Leeds. Even with a World Cup around the corner.

Not least because of their league position which can currently be classified as under-par, regardless of events on Merseyside seven days ago.

Asked whether the World Cup could be a distraction to players, Marsch said: "I have not felt that at all, but can see why people would think that.

"There are examples of players who have picked up injuries in the last week or so that could jeopardise their World Cup chances.

"I always feel like if you play and are worried about injuring yourself, then you are actually inviting the things you happen that you don't want to.

"I have seen the guys we have who are in contention for the World Cup (being) totally focused. I think the moment we have been in has meant that they have to be focused on where we are and what we are doing.”

The creme de la creme of world football will head east shortly minus some leading players who have succumbed to injury.

Decorated French duo Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante will be missing, while ex-Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Kyle Walker and Reece James are doubts for England. Ben Chilwell is set to miss out.

Gini Wijnaldum and Diogo Jota are among confirmed absentees, while Son Heung-min is a doubt. Still, a galaxy of stars will be on parade.

For rising United stars such as Crysencio Summerville - hero of the night at Anfield - it will be their devout hope that their time will come on the World Cup score one day with events in Qatar whetting their appetite.

The young Dutchman, who has represented his country up to under-21 level, come of age in more ways than one at Liverpool.

The trick is backing it up and maintaining standards and Marsch has been watching him with the observational traits of a hawk in training this week.

Summerville has had his bumps in the road at Leeds, certainly under Marcelo Bielsa. For Marsch, his development will not wholly revolve around matters on a match-day.

On Summerville, who turned 21 last Saturday, he commented: "What is key for Cree or any good player is to stay focused on their work.

"When you are young and had opportunities and delivered when you have had them, it should build hunger and should not build complacency.

"Let's be honest, with Cree it has not always been that we have seen his professionalism, hunger and discipline developing in the way we want. So I am on top of him now, so he can reach his potential day by day. This last stretch has been good and this week has been his best week.

"When you are the young guy, you should be the first one in the meeting room, the first one out on the pitch and the hardest worker every day. You should be the one cleaning up the pitch after training is done, first in the gym every day and doing all the little things to show everybody that you want to establish yourself and earn the trust of the veteran experienced players.”