Leeds United's bold new masterplan has created a…

Leeds United's bold new masterplan has created a problem for Jesse Marsch vs Man City

Haaland and Phillips homecomings

Manchester City’s visit to Leeds United comes with emotional meaning for two players on their bus. More than 22 years after being born in the city, Erling Haaland is set to play his first match at Elland Road, where father Alfie became a cult hero.

Haaland has dropped hints through the fledgling years of his career about his love for Leeds. It is bound to be a special day for the Premier League’s top scorer as he looks to add to his tally.

While the number nine’s starting spot is virtually guaranteed, Phillips’ presence on the bench is up in the air. Pep Guardiola said the England international returned from the World Cup overweight, which casts doubt on him even making the matchday squad at Elland Road.

If one or both of them do take to the field, all eyes are going to be on anything they do to mark the occasion. You can expect Jesse Marsch to get some form of acknowledgement from Haaland.

Does the new formation stick?

While formations are flexible entities which change throughout a match, there is no disputing Marsch has taken Leeds from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3, at least from the start of games. The head coach has spoken about this in his press conference and talked up how it helps the team to attack and defend in different ways.

When it clicked, it clicked nicely against Real Sociedad and Monaco, but that second-half collapse against the latter and the spectre of the champions could revise those opinions. Let’s see if it’s used and if it solves the problems which have restricted Leeds to four wins from 14 matches.

Klich’s farewell?

If Leeds go with a 4-3-3 and the squad recovers from illness and injury as Marsch expected last week, there is a debate over whether Mateusz Klich even gets a start tonight. Sam Greenwood has long been the head coach’s darling and performed decently against Monaco on the right of the midfield three.

Whether Klich starts or not, this is the last home match Leeds will play before the January transfer window opens. With D.C. United’s longstanding interest in the Pole, there is every chance they look to move quickly from January 1.

The manner of those embraces in Elche shows this is a squad aware of Klich’s situation. All eyes will be on the midfielder if this is to be his last match at Elland Road.

Left flank conundrum

While a 4-3-3 may improve the balance and options for Leeds, it does create a bottleneck in attack for some of Marsch’s forwards. Brenden Aaronson and Rodrigo look nailed on for two of the three berths, but what about the left flank?

Wilfried Gnonto has turned heads in the Elland Road friendlies, but Crysencio Summerville has the best Premier League form and Jack Harrison has the experience and resilience for a test like City. Gnonto has done enough to justify a start in the friendlies, but Marsch may well want to keep Summerville’s streak going or rely on Harrison’s defensive responsibility.

City to get the fright of their season?

If this match follows in the same vein as every other big-six encounter, Leeds are in with a right chance of taking the win. Chelsea were hammered in by far the best display of the Marsch era, Mikel Arteta all but admitted Arsenal deserved to lose, Liverpool did lose and Tottenham Hotspur were 15 minutes from a home defeat.

Guardiola’s side can be an entirely different beast to all of those teams, but if they do come out and dominate the ball as they want to, we have seen Leeds turn that to their advantage. It’s the motivation Leeds can take into their dressing room.

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