A game carrying plenty of historical significance concluded with a shocking scoreline at Elland Road, as Leeds United handed Chelsea a 3-0 defeat.
Through relentless pressing, the Peacocks set a high tempo from the get-go and suffocated the visitor’s build-up as time went on.
Taking charge of his first full season at the club, Jesse March has stuck to the foundations laid down by Marcelo Bielsa, while avoiding the frailties of his predecessor’s man-to-man methods.
The system targeted at stifling Chelsea came to fruition for the first goal, along with some aid from lady luck.
New signing Brenden Aaronson’s persistence eventually caught out opposition keeper Edouard Mendy, who ended up making a mess of things and gifted a goal to Leeds.
The ball hitting the net was met by rapturous noise from Elland Road, and a similarly enthusiastic reaction from Marsch on the touchline.
The American was clearly pumped up, and a perfect display of his passion came after Jack Harrison made it 3 in the second half.
Marsch stood in the technical area gripping a bottle when Harrison volleyed home from close range, which resulted in the former Leipzig boss bringing out a celebration from the NFL.
His eyes lit up as the spectators around the venue rose, and what followed was a picture-perfect ‘Gronk Spike’.
Named after New England Patriots Icon Rob Gronkowski, the Gronk Spike usually follows a touchdown, and sees the scorer slam an object forcefully into the ground out of passion…because why not?
Marsch’s execution of the spike was deemed flawless by all those familiar, the Leeds boss even had the decency to tighten the bottle’s cap to avoid spillage.
After ‘spiking’ it, the 48-year-old directed a frosty stare towards the Chelsea bench, a real ‘How’s that taste’ vibe radiating from it.
Marsch’s appointment was always going to bring a bit of American flavour to the English game, but the Gronk Spike really dialled up the ‘Murica’ to 100.
3rd on the table, 2 wins and a draw so far, even after losing Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, Leeds have made a dream start. Nevertheless, another tough test awaits as the Peacocks head to Brighton next.
