Leeds United suffered their sixth successive defeat as they were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa on Thursday.
Goals from Phillipe Coutinho, Matty Cash and Callum Chambers earned the visitors all three points at Elland Road to condemn the Whites to yet another loss, leaving Leeds firmly in a relegation battle.
It has been a frustrating start for new manager Jesse Marsch, who has failed to turn the Whites' fortunes around so far ahead of a pivotal game against Norwich City on Sunday afternoon.
Leeds' form and their chances of staying in the Premier League was discussed on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday, with Paul Merson, Clinton Morrison, Kris Boyd and Darren Bent all discussing matters in West Yorkshire.
Jeff Stelling was the host and Leeds Live has produced a full transcript of what was said between the quartet.
Jeff Stelling asked: "Jesse Marsch has took charge of two games and they've lost both of them, I don't want to be knee jerkish, but are they already feeling that they have made a big mistake?"
Kris Boyd said: "No, because I was never buying into the whole Leeds thing with Marcelo Bielsa and they have been on a run that this day was coming where there was going to have to be a change. You can't keep conceding the amount of goals they've been conceding and expect to win games of football. In the last eight matches, they've conceded 25 goals and the only point they picked up in that was a 3-3 draw at Aston Villa. I feel for Leeds in a way, they've waited so long to get back [to the Premier League], they had a great season and a lot of people expected them to kick on. But that was never going to happen, it was always about surviving this year and it still is. I didn't think they were going to kick on into the top-six and push on, but I've got to be honest, I didn't expect this either. They're now in big trouble."
Stelling asked: "Is it alarming that there has been no new manager bounce at all?"
Paul Merson said: "I thought they were bang unlucky at Leicester, the game could've gone either way. It was a joke against Aston Villa, but I thought they played well at Leicester. The first game wasn't as hard as the Villa game."
Boyd said: "When I look at Leeds, I know the intensity they play at, but I think they look a tired team. I know some people may say that they're covering the same distances but there's different ways to be tired. Mentally, obviously, and the decision making hasn't been great. They're struggling there no doubt about it."
Stelling asked: Jesse Marsch said they looked jaded by the pressure but it's always been like it with the crowd at Elland Road hasn't it?
Clinton Morrison said: "Football is pressure, every game is like that. There's always pressure when you walk on to a football pitch. It's like it at Elland Road and there's pressure for away players going there as it is an intimidating place to go. There shouldn't be pressure on the Leeds players at Elland Road, though, it is like a 12th-man having that but is is difficult. What he is probably alluding to is that the fans loved [Marcelo] Bielsa so much and now he's come in and the fans have got to get behind Marsch as they were still singing Bielsa's name the other night. I watched the game and it was disappointing. They had one shot on goal and they've now got Patrick Bamford back. The game livened up when they brought the youngster Joe Gelhardt on who made an impact and Bamford. Other than that, Leeds were non-existent and Villa were in cruise control. It was just so disappointing and they did get booed off at the end by the fans and it wasn't good enough. It is a struggle for Leeds at the moment and they need Kalvin Phillips back. They're conceding too many goals and he's a key part of the team."
Boyd said: "All I've heard from Leeds fans all season is that they've got injuries. Every team misses players."
Morrison added: "Leeds haven't got the financial backing to go and spend a lot of money. They've missed Phillips and they've missed Bamford. It hasn't been good enough, I totally agree with you, but they are key players for that football club to survive. When they get Phillips back and also [Liam] Cooper, the captain, back, they might have a chance. But I agree with you, it has been a struggle. One shot on goal against Villa at home is not good night."
Stelling asked: "In the end, they were flattered by the scoreline and Villa could've scored more than the three goals!"
Darren Bent said: "I think so as well and it almost looked like they reverted back to Bielsa's style. They've been so engrained in Bielsa's system and it was almost like they went back to it when they went behind against Villa. There was no defensive unit, it was too easy and they didn't get back into their shape quick enough. As I said, Leeds have conceded way too many goals and there was no organisation there whatsoever. When you are struggling, you always revert back to what you are used to. They have been used to Bielsa's man-to-man marking all over the pitch and that's what they look like they are doing at the minute. Unfortunately for Leeds, they have got to change something quickly. I thought the timing was wrong with Bielsa's sacking but they've made the appointment of Marsch and they stand by the appointment. I probably would've stuck with Bielsa until at least the end of the season and see what happens from there. They don't look any better under Marsch as they did under Bielsa."
Stelling asked: "I understand it is very early to criticise a manager but after they've lost at home to Aston Villa, on Leeds United's official website, he is quoted saying: "From the players' perspective, we've had a very good week, a good 10 days together. I've tried to create clarity of how we want to play." And when Leeds fans read that, what are they thinking?"
Paul Merson said: "That's the problem! Always positive talking won't pull the wool over the Leeds fans' eyes. They need to see results. You can't just keep speaking positively. He keeps saying that the players are stressed. Stressed is when you can't pay the mortgage and can't put food on the table. Stressed isn't when you can't kick a ball from one person to another. I'm not buying into that and he needs to learn that quickly as well. I think that doesn't sit well with the fans. He's come in, he's not managed in the Premier League and doesn't understand the Premier League at the moment. He's finding it difficult. They played well against Leicester, that's the way they might play away from home. But at home, he needs to do his homework. You need to make sure Coutinho doesn't get as much freedom. When you let Coutinho play, you're going to get hurt, it doesn't matter how good you are."
Bent added: "From a Leeds perspective, when you're down at the bottom, you need your fans and that's why I questioned the decision. I can understand why the fans loved Bielsa. Not all the Leeds fans were behind the sacking of Bielsa, they wanted him to stay. You maybe needed to look at it and I know there's a chance you might get relegated but the fans are on side, so just stick to it until the end of the season. If you listen to the scenario, 99% of the supporters would've said to keep him."
Merson added: "This is a massive game (Norwich). They tried to keep it tight during the last two games and tried to draw both games 0-0. But he has to twist tomorrow. They look like they've got their shackles on and it has been like a training session. If they lose this game they're down, this is their chance. The pressure is on Leeds, this is a big, big football game. You talk about first goals in every game, but the first goal in this game is as big as it gets."
