Leeds United fell to a 4-2 defeat against AS Monaco in their final friendly before the return of the Premier League season.
Here’s a look at the winners and losers on the night.
Winners
Robin Koch
The defender missed clashes with Elche and Real Sociedad with a calf complaint, but he was fit enough to be involved against the Ligue 1 side and he looked the part alongside Luke Ayling, producing a steady first half performance. He managed to mark his return from injury with a goal, too, leaping highest to glance Sam Greenwood’s corner into the back of the net.
Read more: Leeds United player ratings with Robin Koch's display emphasised by second-half collapse
He was replaced at half-time by Diego Llorente in what looked to be a scheduled substitution and it seems he should be fit enough to be involved against Manchester City next week. With players missing, Koch’s fitness comes as a huge boost for Marsch.
Brenden Aaronson
Aaronson was Leeds’ brightest in the first half of the contest as he made his second start in the space of five days following his World Cup efforts. The American popped up in space on a regular basis and never failed to make something happen, whether it was moving the ball forward into an attacking area, or simply winning a free-kick after skipping beyond his man.
His influence waned in the second half as Monaco seized control of the contest and he was shifted across the attacking line before being taken off and replaced by Darko Gyabi with around 10 minutes to go. As one of Leeds’ chief attacking threats, Marsch will be delighted to see him return from Qatar in such a confident frame of mind.
Losers
Jesse Marsch’s options
The Whites were without 10 senior first-teamers against the Ligue 1 side and while it didn’t necessarily tell, in the first-half at least, that’s got to be a concern as the Premier League restart approaches. The Whites take on Man City in a weeks’ time and the head coach will have his fingers and toes crosses that one or two overcome their respective issues in time to be involved in that contest.
Liam Cooper, Mateusz Klich and Rodrigo dropped out of the starting line-up for the Monaco game, while Jack Harrison was missing once more after pulling up with tightness in the warm up ahead of the clash with Real Sociedad. Crysencio Summerville, Luis Sinisterra, Stuart Dallas, Tyler Adams, Illan Meslier and Patrick Bamford were also missing on the night.
Kristoffer Klaesson
With Illan Meslier still on the sidelines through illness, Klaesson was given the chance to stake a claim for the number one spot when City arrive at Elland Road next week. As such, he will have been disappointed to concede four goals on the night as the Whites crumbled to defeat.
Admittedly, he could do little to prevent most of Monaco’s goals from hitting the back of net, with mistakes coming further up the field, but it was almost certainly an opportunity missed for the Norwegian. If Meslier is to miss the Premier League restart, it seems Joel Robles could be the next cab off the rank.
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