NERVOUS Leeds United fans could be cowering behind the sofa when their free-falling team tackle Liverpool in this coming Saturday night’s televised game on Sky.

A pre-Halloween horror show on Merseyside is on the cards if the brittle Whites repeat the mistakes that contributed to their 3-2 home defeat against Fulham on Sunday.

Leeds lost 6-0 at Anfield last season and a few days later revered coach Marcelo Bielsa was sacked – a fate which his successor Jesse Marsch is heading towards on current form.

Once again faults in both boxes cost Leeds dear against the Cottagers as they slid into the Premier League relegation zone after a fourth successive defeat in a run which has seen them take just two points from eight games.

Leeds have taken just nine points from the first 11 games of this season compared with 11 at the same stage in 2021-22.

Despite the alarming slump Marsch revealed that he had met with the board after the game and had their backing.

He said: “I’m here for the long term. I love this club, I’m investing everything I have to try to make us better.

“I understand the frustrations from the fans and we are equally, if not more, frustrated.

"We are doing everything we can and we are together. The board and I are unified. We have had clear discussions that we are together.”

Chief Executive Officer Angus Kinnear’s pre-match online programme notes on the club’s website indicated that the board would not panic.

“Whilst nobody can hide from the fact that our winless run is certainly troubling,” he wrote, “There have been enough moments of quality from a team whose commitment can never be doubted. 

"We should all have confidence we can correct the course of the season before the World Cup break and then return in December to build on a firm foundation.”

Skipper Liam Cooper weighed in with more support for his beleaguered boss, telling the media that the players are fully behind the manager.

The problem is that many fans, who look at the stats and the table, no longer support Marsch and his tactics.

Angry chants were directed towards the coach and the board as Fulham took a grip of the game in the later stages, scoring soft goals from Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian.

Not even substitute Crysencio Summerville's first goal for the club could take the edge off the toxic atmosphere.

Marsch made six changes from the side which lost 2-0 at fellow strugglers Leicester in mid-week and deserved their 19th-minute lead through Rodrigo which was criminally surrendered six minutes later when the unmarked Aleksandar Mitrovic headed in a corner.

Fulham looked dangerous on their rare attacks against an exposed defence but at 1-1 Patrick Bamford missed a good opportunity and confidence throughout the Leeds team ebbed away.

Although Tyler Adams is expected to return in midfield after missing the Fulham game with a minor muscle problem, the prospects don’t look good for Leeds and Marsch at Liverpool, who will be smarting after their shock 1-0 defeat at bottom club Nottingham Forest.