Jesse Marsch has leapt to the defence of Leeds United defender Luke Ayling after his red card against Arsenal on Sunday. The right-back’s wild tackle on Gabriel Martinelli sees him suspended for the remainder of the campaign.
With Leeds losing 2-0 at The Emirates inside 30 minutes, Ayling dived into a tackle on Martinelli – two-footed. He was initially shown a yellow but VAR ruled that it was a red card. It sees him out for the next three games.
It means Leeds will be without one of their most-important players for the last three games of the season, with the club dangerously sitting in the drop zone. Up next, is Chelsea – before matches against Brighton and Brentford.
Ayling has been heavily criticised by Leeds fans for his tackle and as Marsch puts it, “jeopardising” and “hurting” his side. But the American gaffer defended Ayling, reminding all that he is the definition of Leeds.
“As much as people want to draw stories from what they want, the Luke Ayling story is that he is a definition of this club. Guys like him, Stuart, Kalvin, Liam. He grew and help this club be a Premier League team again.
“Luke is the definition of heart, fight, attitude, mentality. He jeopardised us, hurts us as a team. He knows he has let the team down. There is no point in finger pointing and blaming. I’ve dealt with it, internally and externally.”
Marsch on Ayling: Leeds fans need to remember what he has done
Yes, Ayling has let his side down. In what are the three most-crucial games of the season, he has made himself unavailable for a reckless moment of red mist. But Ayling is a Leeds icon – not least because of his Wolves goal.
As Marsch says, he embodies the Leeds story of the last five years. A mediocre Championship player that has put the graft in to become a Premier League player – even linked with an England call-up at times.
If Leeds go down, Ayling must take some blame – but he got them up in the first place and fans must remember that. Leeds still have a huge chance to stay up, and it might only be a win that does it.
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