Jesse Marsch issues verdict on Arsenal’s title chances ahead of Leeds United clash

Jesse Marsch has backed Arsenal for a title run ahead of his side’s clash with the Gunners this weekend.

Arsenal go head-to-head with Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, and they will be looking to remain in top spot, an aim that may well require a win, given Manchester City’s form of late.

Mikel Arteta’s men have been excellent so far, winning all but one of their games, and they are not showing signs of slowing down, seeing off Liverpool last weekend.

There is still plenty of the season to go, though, and it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal can maintain their title bid.

This weekend, Arsenal face a Leeds side that has enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, and Whites boss Marsch has been speaking about the Gunners’ credentials.

Asked in his pre-match press conference whether he thinks Arsenal could be in it for the long run, he said: “You’d have to say yes, I have to say yes. They’ve looked very strong and they’ve recently played a bit against good opponents as well.

“I always do a thorough job of scouting with our team. It’s not like I’m following every team through the season, you look at the table and you see that they’re winning games you catch moments of games and highlights and we know that they’re a good team and they have good quality.

“I always like also when teams and coaches improve and grow together and that’s definitely something that’s happened at Arsenal, a club that looked like they weren’t going to be so strong about five or six years ago. Now all of a sudden to be back at the top of the table and playing the football that they’re playing, it says a lot about the commitment that they’ve made as a club to find a process and stick to it.”

Marsch was also asked about Arsenal’s biggest threat, and how Leeds plan to frustrate the in-form Gunners.

“I mean, I think the combination with Arsenal of the way they play and their clarity as to their roles, along with the individual quality that they have, makes them very difficult to deal with,” he added. “I think that’s what the job of a manager is, to take good players and make them better by introducing them into a system that feeds into their strengths.

“Obviously the front three with the Martinelli, Jesus and Saka are incredibly dangerous and clever one v one, they’re, all three, at the top of the league and one v one takedowns, one v one success. They’re obviously scoring goals and getting assists in bunches. But then, the moment that you put in place a little too much attention on any one of them then Xhaka starts joining in and Odegaard and and they you know they have quality coming from all over the place.

“So, for us, it will take a full tactical understanding and commitment on the day as well as individual performances in certain moments to manage what they will present. And the talking point has been very clear with what our tactics are for this match and then finding the players that can execute at the highest level and have good discipline but also play with confidence in the moments that we need quality in order to tilt the scale in our favour, which will be a monumental task.”