Leeds United co-caretaker boss Michael Skubala has reacted to the dismissal of head coach Jesse Marsch and has labelled Wednesday's trip to Manchester United an "exciting prospect" rather than a "daunting" one.
After just under a year in charge at Elland Road, Leeds announced on Monday that they have parted company with Marsch following a winless run of seven Premier League games – the longest current run in the top-flight.
Marsch picked up just 11 points from his last 51 available and leaves the Whites languishing in 17th place, sitting just above the relegation zone on goal difference.
Skubala, who was appointed the head coach of Leeds' Under-21s last summer, is now preparing the first team squad for Wednesday's clash at Man United along with fellow coaches Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas, and the former has provided an update on the recent events that have taken place at the club.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Skubala said: "Yesterday, Victor [Orta], Angus [Kinnear] and the board came to see Jesse. It was a discussion that had to take place and after that they pulled me and a few staff members in to talk about how to get through this period. We had meetings and we put a plan together that we thought was the best thing to do.
"Chris (Armas) came in with Jesse a couple of weeks ago. He is still getting to know the club and the players, but he has Premier League experience before (after working under Ralf Rangnick at Man United last season). Paco Gallardo worked with me as a development coach with the Under-21s, and he has plenty of experience in Spain and in Italy."
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Asked specifically about Marsch's exit, Skubala added: "I spoke to Jesse before he left. He spoke to all the staff before he left. It was good, and managers go through these situations. I think for everyone that leaves it disappointing but he was professional and caring for the staff.
"Jesse was a good guy, and the team was working hard for Jesse. But [the players] are used to changes as professional athletes. I wouldn't say [the mood] is down, but they are okay. We have to focus on getting points against Manchester United."
Skubala is now focused fully on preparing Leeds for a challenging trip to Old Trafford, and the 40-year-old has admitted that he is relishing the prospect of taking charge against the 20-time Premier League champions.
"It's every coach's dream to lead a team at Old Trafford," Skubala added. "I'm lucky enough to be trusted by the board, and it' very exciting.
"I would say it's an exciting prospect. It's Manchester United and it's an exciting prospect. We will do the best job we can do. It's not daunting but exciting, I would say."
Asked who will be in charge of team selection, Skubala said: "It's a collective approach. We will pick the team together, as any modern team does. We will work hard to make sure we have a strong team to push Man Utd."
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Skubala is aware of the challenge that awaits Leeds on Wednesday against an high-flying Man United outfit, and has urged his side to be "pragmatic" in their quest to cause an upset.
"There's no point throwing the baby out of the bath water. There will be a couple of tweaks, which you might see, but we have to make sure the players are ready to play Manchester United," said Skubala. "We can't be passive, but we also need to be pragmatic in that we are playing an in-form team at Old Trafford.
"We will set up a team that is competitive without the ball. We will be competitive without the ball, and we will set up a team that will test them, and they will do the same.
"We have been really good without the ball. We have been on the front foot and aggressive. That's a positive thing that we can't change at the moment."
Skubala has also confirmed that some of the first-team squad have "a few bumps and bruises" but opted against revealing their identities, while Rodrigo, Archie Gray, Sonny Perkins (all ankle), Adam Forshaw (groin) and Stuart Dallas (leg) are all sidelined with injuries.
Leeds head to Old Trafford having failed to win any of their last 17 league visits to Man United since a slender 1-0 victory back in February 1981.
Oliver Thomas
