Jesse Marsch is standing in the middle of the pitch at Leeds United’s training ground with his left arm gripped tight round the shoulder of England midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
‘You all have to win your individual battles,’ says the Leeds manager to his players. ‘Only if we win those can we hope to win games.’ For emphasis, Marsch clenches his fist. He releases Phillips and the session goes on.
This is Thursday, match day minus two, ahead of today’s home game against Manchester City, ‘the best in the world’ says Marsch. Under the American’s predecessor, Marcelo Bielsa, this was always the day of the infamous murderball, a training session so intense it could bring players to their knees.