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Leeds Live

Sport

Matty Hewitt

Leeds United news as former Whites defender Jonathan Woodgate returns to coaching role

Leeds United Jonathan Woodgate Jesse Marsch Whites Graeme Souness Simon Jordan EPL Kalvin Phillips Manchester City Marcelo Bielsa

A round-up of the latest Leeds United headlines on Monday, 24 October.

Jonathan Woodgate returns to Middlesbrough as first team coach

Former Leeds United defender Jonathan Woodgate has returned to Middlesbrough as first-team coach. The ex-Boro boss was sacked by the club in 2020, but has returned to the club as part of Michael Carrick's coaching staff at the club.

The former Whites' defender had originally taken up a coaching role in the youth set-up at the Riverside, before being officially appointed in 2019. He would be replaced by Neil Warnock in June 2020 following the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Woodgate guided Bournemouth to the Championship play-off semi-final following a sixth-placed finish in 2021 but was replaced by Scott Parker at the end of the season. Following a year out of the game, Woodgate has returned to his boyhood club.

Simon Jordan admits surprise at Leeds United's inability to 'kick on' since Premier League return

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has admitted he is surprised that Leeds United have been unable to kick on since promotion to the Premier League. The Whites ended their long wait for top-flight football back in 2020 after winning the Championship title at a canter under Marcelo Bielsa.

Leeds were then able to secure a ninth place finish in their first season back, but have endured nothing but struggles since then. After sacking Bielsa and hiring Jesse Marsch in March, Leeds secured their survival by the skin of their teeth with a dramatic final day win at Brentford.

Again, though, Leeds have been unable to build on that with the club failing to address certain areas of the squad during the summer. Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan claimed that while the board are able to spend money 'how they want to', he cannot believe that they haven't kicked on from a financial point of view.

You can read more here.

Leeds United supporters told they hold key to Jesse Marsch's future after Graeme Souness claim

Graeme Souness believes that the attitude of Leeds United supporters could end up forcing the board into making a managerial change. Jesse Marsch is coming under increasing pressure at Elland Road after a poor run of results that has brought just two points from eight matches.

Supporters have already started to grow impatient with the Leeds boss, with some sections of Elland Road chanting, 'you're getting sacked in the morning' during Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Fulham. Despite that, it appears as though the board at Leeds are willing to give Marsch more time to turn it around, with a trip to Liverpool up next.

Speaking on talkSPORT, though, Souness thinks that the recent show of faith from the hierarchy can only last so long if supporters at matches continue to make their feelings clear that a change is necessary.

You can read more here.

One Leeds United match chosen for TV broadcast over festive period with another also moved

Leeds United are set to be shown live in front of the TV cameras once over the Christmas period. The Whites' home clash with Manchester City, originally set for Boxing Day, is now set to kick off at 8pm on Wednesday 28 December at 8pm and will be screened by Amazon Prime.

That game is set to be Leeds' first in six weeks following the World Cup break and could provide Kalvin Phillips with his first opportunity to play at Elland Road since his summer move from Manchester City. Phillips has hardly played due to injury for his new club but is hoping to be fit for the tournament in Qatar after undergoing surgery on his shoulder.

Leeds' home match with West Ham United has also been moved in order to protect rest periods in between rounds of fixtures. Initially, the clash with the Hammers was pencilled in for Monday 2 January but has now been put back an extra 48 hours to Wednesday 4 January.

You can read more here.

'Couldn't write it' - Leeds United supporters fume at festive fixture changes amid Haaland jokes

Leeds United fans have questioned the festive fixture announcement which has left the Whites without a Boxing Day fixture and 'less rest' than their Premier League rivals. The club confirmed the new schedule on Monday afternoon, with the headline change being a new date for the home clash with Manchester City.

Jesse Marsch's side were due to host the Premier League champions on Boxing Day, but it will now be broadcast on Amazon Prime on December 28. The fixture is now due to get under way at 8pm.

The Whites' clash with Newcastle United has not been moved, and currently remains a 3pm kick-off on New Year's Eve. However, in order to 'protect rest periods between match rounds', the home tie with West Ham United has been given a new date of January 4 and a kick-off time of 7.45pm.

You can read more here.