Leeds United take on Manchester United in the Premier League 2 tonight at 7pm, with an attendance of over 8,000 expected at Elland Road – with tickets also still available.
The fixture is Andrew Taylor’s first game in charge of Leeds’ under 23 side in the PL2 after Mark Jackson’s promotion into the first team coaching set up, with Taylor taking charge of the side on a temporary basis following the arrival of Jesse Marsch who requested Jackson to join him with the senior squad.
Oldham Athletic v U21, U 21 Leeds United EFL Trophy 28/09/2021. Leeds United U23 Manager Mark Jackson during the EFL Trophy match between Oldham Athletic and U21 Leeds United at Boundary Park, Oldham, England on 28 September 2021. Oldham Boundary Park Greater Manchester England Editorial use only DataCo restrictions apply See www.football-dataco.com PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK , Copyright: xSimonxDaviesx PSI-13709-0164
Taylor was originally recruited by Leeds in 2021 from Sunderland as the club’s loans manager, keeping tabs on every loan player away from the club, however has stepped into the under 23s as interim boss – and has took charge of last week’s 1-1 draw away at Mansfield Town in the Premier League Cup group stage.
Leeds currently sit 11th in the Premier League 2 Division One, 12 points behind tonight’s visitors Manchester United who sit in 5th, and just two points above the bottom two in the division – having won five of their 20 matches in the league this season.
Last time the two sides met Manchester United found an 87th minute winner through Amad Diallo, someone who joined United for a reported £19million from Italian side Atalanta in January 2021, and edged out a 3-2 win at Leigh Sports Village. A Diallo brace, who has since been loaned out to Rangers in the SPFL, and a first half strike from Charlie McNeill canceled out Sean McGurk and Nohan Kenneh’s goals for Leeds.
Leeds’ under 23 side has been unable to field a consistent side this season in the PL2, partly because of the injuries in the first team requiring the younger players to step up into the squad for first team fixtures, which are always played within one or two game of a PL2 game, but also because of the way Marcelo Bielsa had been using the side.
Tonight is the first PL2 game since Jesse Marsch’s arrival at Leeds, meaning potentially a different set up for the youth team. In previous youth games, the under 23 side would attempt to replicate Bielsa’s methods within the first team, going man for man with opponents and playing in an almost exact style as the senior squad – with the idea that if a youth player was to make the transition into the first team, they would already be used to be playing in the unique style required by Bielsa.
Now that the Argentine has departed, it will become obvious that, just like the first team, the man marking aspect of the team will be lost – however what is yet to be seen is if Leeds’ youth side will play in a replica system to Marsch’s first team, of if the American has given Andrew Taylor free reign to play his side in a system of his choice, with the potential that Leeds’ first team and under 23 set up could become more separated following Bielsa’s departure.
