Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch has more London controversy and poor defending to deal with

The Whites were ahead three times through in-form scorers Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo yet still managed to lose 4-3 to Tottenham with the defeat leaving head coach Jesse Marsch "gutted".

Fans were equally unhappy with more poor defending and a feeling the team was yet again stitched up in London by poor officiaiting.

Quite why Leeds have been on the wrong end of so many controversial decisions in games in the capital in recent years is perhaps a question only the FA can answer. But it was another factor in the Spurs loss.

With United 1-0 up Spurs were allowed an equaliser that came after Illan Meslier appeared to have been fouled and with the goalkeeper in the back of the net Harry Kane put the ball into the open goal. It looked a clear and obvious mistake of which we have become all too familiar with English officials, but there was no VAR involvement and the crucial goal stood.

It clearly changed the nature of the game, although Leeds were able to recover from it with more goals and should have been strong enough to at least bring a point home.

United boss Marsch was not tempted to have as big a dig at the referee as he had on a previous visit to London at Brentford, but he was unhappy with the goal decision and explained how disappointed he was with the result.

He said: "I'm gutted, I feel like someone has ripped my heart out.

"There's obviously positives in there because in our good moments we look like we have quality, but in our bad we still look vulnerable and naive.

“It’s another big opponent we let slip away.

“We were in total control of the match at 2-2 and that’s why we made it 3-2. Then we made individual lapses and the game slipped away from us.

“We are still trying to get exactly the discipline on the pitch over large structures of the game so that we can be in control the way we want to."

On the controversial first Tottenham equaliser, Marsh said: "The first one's a foul, the referee should call a foul.

"We've seen it before where it should be checked at the monitor. I could go through a lot of matches but they don't go – it's incredible for me why they don't go."

Marsch believes the game summed up his side's season so far.

He added: “The demands are high when you come to the best opponents in the world and you come to their place. But, that’s not a story of this match, it’s really a story of the 16 matches we’ve played since the start of the season.

“I feel like in many matches we’ve been the aggressor and we have been in control of many moments, but we find ways to let the game slip away.

“If we can figure out how to stay tactically on top of things, be more stable and clear in more moments we can be a good team.

“Right now we’re still struggling to commit to that and execute that over the entire match.”

In the six weeks to come now before the next match Marsch has clearly got to figure out why his team look so open at times because if he does not solve it only a relegation scrap will follow in the New Year.

Leeds got the start they would have wanted at Tottenham as an impressive opening was rewarded with a tenth minute goal as Summerville made it four goals in four games with a confident finish after being played in by World Cup bound Brenden Aaronson.

Spurs came close to hitting back as they opened up the Leeds defence out wide and from Dejan Kulusevski's pull back Royal saw his shot saved by Meslier.

Ben Davies then got forward from his defensive position to set up wing-back Emerson Royal, but the resulting shot went well over.

In an end to end game the hosts needed a save with his legs from goalkeeper Hugo Lloris shortly after as the lively Aaronson again combined with Summerville who showed great speed to get clear and shoot.

Spurs equalised on 26 minutes and were more than fortunate to do so.

First, Kane appeared to push Rasmus Kristensen as a high ball came into the box before the ball was then deflected out for a corner.

Then when the flag kick was delivered it was headed out for another corner from which Meslier was bundled into the net by two Spurs players as he aimed to punch the ball clear. When Kane's follow-up shot went into the net and a goal was given Leeds players were obviously angry, but their protests fell on deaf ears and they had been the victim of yet another injustice in a game in London.

Leeds players did well to put this out of their minds as Marc Roca had an effort saved by Lloris then clever play by Aaronson won them a corner and from it they went back in front.

Liam Cooper headed the ball on after the initial delivery had been cleared, Kristensen flicked it on further and Rodrigo ran in behind the home defence to volley home his fourth goal in four matches.

There was still time in the half for more goalmouth action with Kristensensen clearing off his line after Richarlison’s shot had beaten Meslier.

The game was level again five minutes into the second half with more trouble down the flank, Kulusevski getting in behind. His pull back found Kane and although the England captain's shot was blocked, Davies followed up to shoot in when unmarked on the edge of the box.

Sam Greenwood sent a free-kick over as United looked to respond again, but they did go back in front when Roca's excellent pass sent Rodrigo away down the left and his angled shot arrowed into the far corner to make it 3-2.

However, in this action-packed game it was far from all over and the hosts levelled a third time when Rodrigo Bentancur's shot went in via a deflection off Luke Ayling after the Spurs midfielder had been left unmarked to meet a half clearance from a right wing cross.

And just two minutes later it was 4-3 to Tottenham with Bentancur unmarked again closer to goal this time for a tap in after yet again Leeds' left hand side defence had been carved open, Kane supplying the final pass.

To add to United's misery they went down to 10 men when Tyler Adams was sent-off for a second yellow card offence in the eyes of ref Salisbury. Having already been more harshly booked there was no doubt he would be red carded after a blatant trip and he will now miss the next match at the end of December against Manchester City.

With the City game followed by a match at Newcastle it seems Leeds may well now find themselves back in the bottom three at the start of 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur 4

(Kane 26, Davies 50, Bentancur 81, 83)

Leeds United 3 (Summerville 10, Rodrigo 43, 76)

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Premier League

Spurs: Lloris; Dier, Lenglet (Sanchez 57), Davies; Royal (Doherty 57), Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic; Kulusevski (Moura 89), Kane, Richarlison (Bissouma 68).

Leeds: Meslier; Kristensen (Joseph 89), Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Adams (sent-off 87), Roca (Ayling 79); Summerville, Aaronson, Gnonto (Greenwood 45); Rodrigo (Gelhardt 89).

Referee: Michael Salisbury