It has 'stopped the bleeding': Jesse Marsch hails Leeds' performance

Jesse Marsch hails Leeds’ defiant win at Liverpool that helped his struggling side ‘stop the bleeding’… as he backs match-winner Crysencio Summerville to become ‘a big player for us’

• Jesse Marsch hailed his Leeds players after their galliant 2-1 against Liverpool 
• Crysencio Summerville’s late strike sealed a much needed win for the American
• But Marsch admitted he ‘didn’t know’ if the pressure had lifted from him just yet
• Jurgen Klopp meanwhile didn’t want to talk about Liverpool’s top four hopes

Jesse Marsch hailed a Leeds performance that helped them ‘stop the bleeding’ after Crysencio Summerville’s dramatic late strike stunned Liverpool.

Summerville turns 21 on Sunday and he celebrated his landmark birthday in the most spectacular fashion, scoring in the 89th minute to inflict Liverpool’s first home defeat in the Premier League in front of supporters since April 2017.

While Jurgen Klopp bemoaned his team’s wretched inconsistency, which is threatening to leave them too much to do to qualify for the Champions League, Marsch was overjoyed with Leeds’s brave display that enabled them to win in the Premier League for the first time since August.

Jesse Marsch (pictured) has hailed his side following thier 2-1 win against Liverpool at Anfield

Crysencio Summerville’s (pictured) dramatic late goal stunned the Reds, giving Leeds the win

It has been a torturous couple of months for Marsch, whose side were booed off after losing 3-2 to Fulham last Sunday, and there has been scrutiny on the position he took in February but this unexpected triumph could not have come at a better moment.

‘At 1-1 we talked last week, when it was close with Fulham, that we were waiting to lose more than pushing to win and I think the best part was you saw real resolve at 1-1. We needed Illan (Meslier) to make some big saves but I think the mentality to push and stay in the match was there.

‘We didn’t want to walk away with one and see if we could get three showed resolve and belief. It was necessary to stop the bleeding. The guys are happy. There is music in there (in the dressing room). That is great. I want them to enjoy the moment. We have use this to launch ourselves.

‘I don’t know (if the pressure has lifted on me). I am just happy for our team because I believe in them, I have told them that often. I have challenged them to get better, to stay unified. In a moment like this I think if you are a real leader your focus is on your people.’

It is Liverpool’s second league defeat on the bounce, having succumbed to Forest last week

Rodrigo (right) tapped in Leed’s opener after Joe Gomez and Alisson slipped up at the back

Leeds got the perfect start when a poor back pass by Joe Gomez and a slip from Alisson Becker enabled Rodrigo to tap into an unguarded goal but Liverpool had levelled within 10 minutes when Mohamed Salah converted a volley.

Liverpool, though, were never settled and Leeds kept getting opportunities. There were gaping holes all through Liverpool’s set up, with a number of players – such as Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott – struggling to show their best.

It was credit to Marsch’s team, however, that they never settled for a draw in the final 10 minutes and Summerville’s goal – which enabled Leeds to beat Liverpool for the first time since April 2001 – was richly deserved.

‘I think the players were fighting for us,’ said Marsch. ‘They believe in what we are doing. It has been painful for all of us. They take heat, the manager takes heat. What is on my mind is continuing to stay stable and strong.’

Jurgen Klopp (pictured) was crestfallen after his side now sit in ninth in the league table

Klopp didn’t entertain the idea of Liverpool pushing for Champions League football this season

Klopp, by contrast, looked crestfallen at the final whistle and wouldn’t entertain the idea of Liverpool being involved in the push for the top four, particularly as they are closer in points to the bottom three than the Champions League spots.

‘That is not my main worry,’ said Klopp. ‘But of course I am not that dumb that I don’t know about distances and who is up there but we cannot qualify for the Champions League if we play as inconsistent as we do at the moment. We have to fix that. We know everything is possible.’

Crysencio Summerville has plans to return to The Netherlands for a big birthday party today and the celebrations will be extra special.

Summerville wasn’t even born the last time Leeds won at Anfield – Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer scored the goals on Good Friday, April 2001 – but his name will go down in club folklore now after his strike secured a 2-1 win.

He joined Leeds two years ago from Feyenoord and this has the potential to be his breakthrough season. He scored his first goal against Fulham last Sunday and is now on a roll but manager Jesse Marsch wants to see total commitment from the forward.

‘I think he came off the bench last week and played really well,’ said Marsch. ‘Against Leicester, he was good. We know we have a good player on our hands with him. The biggest thing is discipline, work ethic.

‘I have worked with a lot of young attacking players, I have helped them become world stars and I think Crysencio has the potential to get better and be a big player for us.’

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