Ex-Prem boss tells Leeds United to ‘call him’ and he’ll ‘sort them out’; Merson issues relegation warning

Lewis Oldham
Leeds given advice by Merson

Paul Merson has warned Leeds United that “they are going to get relegated” if they do not appoint a new permanent manager to replace Jesse Marsch.

Leeds have been without a manager since they sacked Marsch at the start of this week. The American was dismissed following a seven-game winless run in the Premier League.

The Yorkshire outfit have attempted to move quickly to appoint a replacement, but they have reportedly failed to lure Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola and Arne Slot to the club.

They are now looking at potential alternatives, with ex-Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard among the managers they are said to be considering.

Caretaker boss Michael Skubala took charge in midweek as Leeds drew 2-2 with Man Utd. It has been confirmed that he will remain in charge this weekend when they face their rivals in the return fixture at Elland Road.

Merson has warned Leeds that they “won’t stay up without a manager”.

“They won’t stay up without a manager. I’ve played without a manager before, it’s different. It is so much different. It’s just the way it is. When the manager ain’t there it is a lot different,” Merson said on Sky Sports.

“They need to get a manager in, they need to get him in quickly. They teams that are down the bottom won’t be the ones that get the X Factor results during the season like Everton did and Wolves did along the way.

“But for me, I see Leeds getting that x-factor result, the games you have just reeled off, I don’t sit there and go ‘they are going to get battered in all them.’ You have to beat Leeds. I think Leeds stay up if they get a manager. If they don’t get a manager I think they are going to get relegated.”

Leeds are a single point above the relegation zone heading into this weekend’s set of Premier League fixtures.

It remains to be seen who they will appoint but Sam Allardyce has admitted that he “wouldn’t turn down chatting about it” if he was approached by Leeds.

“I’d have thought by now if they were interested in me they know where I am, so call me,” Allardyce said via the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast.

“If someone called me I wouldn’t turn down going chatting about it, certainly not at Leeds United, but there has been no call, so before anyone starts any speculation, nobody from Elland Road has called me about the job in hand.

“I watched them against Man United and I wouldn’t see any problem sorting them out, from my point of view with my experience.”

Leeds United supporters would likely not welcome this appointment. Allardyce has been out of work since his West Brom side was relegated at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

READ MORE: Leeds supporters would never have let Marsch succeed because of their blind Bielsa worship