Manifold to Turbo Gasket Replacement Help

When I was having my exhaust built last week the guy doing the work informed me that I have a leaking gasket. He said it only puffs a little on cold start, then seals up after a few seconds. But you can hear it ticking at the same time.

I can see the 3 bolts and washers that I need to get to, so I'll try to pinch them up and see if it helps, but I'd like to replace the gasket in the long run. Having done a quick search I can see this is relatively common, so I'm looking for advice from people that have done this job before please.

Can I do the job entirely from above, without removing the turbo support bracket that goes from the turbo to the block (accessed from below)?

Will I really be able to push the turbo assembly down enough to slide the gasket in/out, with the DP, intake etc. attached?

I see that the new bolts need 35Nm and VAG hot bolt paste. Anything else to look out for?

Thanks in advance guys