Every word from Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch's pre-Manchester City press conference

Leeds signed off for the World Cup break with a 4-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur way back on Saturday, November 12. Forty-six days later, the Whites will return to action next Wednesday evening with the visit of Pep Guardiola’s defending champions and odds-on title favourites City.

City are in EFL Cup action this evening at home to Liverpool in their first game back after the World Cup at which they had 16 players representing the club. Leeds had three players in action in Qatar in USA international duo Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson plus Rasmus Kristensen with Denmark.

As part of the six-and-a-half week pause to the season, Marsch’s side took in a week-long training camp in Spain where they recorded a 2-1 victory against Elche on the back of a win against Preston North End in a game played behind closed doors.

Upon returning to English soil, Leeds defeated La Liga highflyers Real Sociedad through a 2-1 triumph at Elland Road on Friday night but the Whites fell to a 4-2 reverse at home to AS Monaco in the final mid-season break friendly on Wednesday night. Leeds had ten first team players missing for the contest, after which assistant boss Rene Maric revealed that there was illness in camp which had led to a number of first-team players sitting out the defeat to Monaco.

None of Adams, Illan Meslier, Liam Cooper, Mateusz Klich, Stuart Dallas, Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville, Jack Harrison, Patrick Bamford or Rodrigo made the match-night squad against Monaco for which young duo Archie Gray and Sonny Perkins were also missing.

But Adams has been given extra time of due to his heavy involvement at the World Cup and is suspended for the return to action against City whilst Dallas, Sinisterra, Summerville, Bamford and Gray have all been recovering from injuries. Meslier has been ill with glandular fever whilst Maric revealed that Rodrigo had experienced tightness and was therefore not risked against Monaco.

Marsch spoke to the media at 1.30pm and here is everything that was said by United’s American head coach.