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Joe Donnohue

Jesse Marsch bemoans 'freak' Leeds United incident as head coach insists on squad reshuffle

Leeds United will be licking their wounds at Thorp Arch this afternoon as the team prepare for a return to action on Sunday.

The Whites face Norwich City, on the back of six successive Premier League defeats, having failed to score in each of their last four.

Aston Villa were the latest side to arrive at Elland Road with their tails up, before leaving with all three points.

Marsch insisted in his post-match press conference that he was unafraid of the task at hand, and that he still believed Leeds could steer themselves away from relegation trouble.

With ten matches remaining, Leeds' next fixture arguably presents the Whites with their finest opportunity to garner a valuable three points, ending a particularly barren streak.

One point obtained from the last 24 available is Leeds' worst run in the top flight for decades, and injury to Junior Firpo late yesterday evening only exacerbated issues at Elland Road.

The Spanish full-back was stretchered from the field, receiving oxygen with his leg stabilised in a brace as a precaution, following a clash with Emiliano Buendia.

Last weekend, Tyler Roberts sustained a serious hamstring injury minutes after being brought on as Marsch's third substitution. The injury subsequently required surgery and will keep him out of action until the end of the season.

Marsch stated in his post-match press conference that he feared Leeds' latest injury misfortune could keep Firpo out for 'a while'.

"I hate speculating on injuries, but I would guess that this one's going to keep him out a while," the American said.

It is likely this will force a reshuffle at the back for the visit of Norwich City on Sunday, especially after Marsch's comments on a possible solution.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the 48-year-old said: "I think it will be costly [losing Junior] and it is any time you lose a player, so now it's two games in a row with kind of, freak, little collisions that we'll have lost two players, so it's tough.

"With Junior, that probably means we'll have to play Stuart [Dallas] at left-back. I think he can manage that. He's probably a six [in this formation]. That's probably his best position. We've asked him to play right-back and now we're going to ask him to play left-back.

"But he's incredibly intelligent and a good player, that he can manage that," Marsch added.

With Dallas installed in Firpo's absence, this creates a vacancy at right-back where the Northern Irishman has featured in the two games under Marsch so far.

Jamie Shackleton is an option there, but it is most likely Luke Ayling will shuffle across to full-back, having started at centre-back in each of Leeds' two most recent fixtures.

Diego Llorente's return to the squad last night indicates he will be able to step in alongside Pascal Struijk, making up a back four consisting of Ayling, Llorente, Struijk and Dallas, from right-to-left.

Leeds kick-off against Norwich City at 2pm on Sunday, March 13.

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