Leeds United 3-1 Middlesbrough: YEP Reaction

Yorkshire Evening Post

Leeds United 3-1 Middlesbrough: YEP Reaction from Lee Sobot

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00:00Well, well, well, hello there. Lee Sobot at the Yorkshire Evening Post here from Ellen

00:07Road. An Ellen Road that went absolutely wild this evening. The fans loved that. A 3-1 victory

00:13at home to Middlesbrough that sent Leeds top. Two points clear of Sheffield United, who

00:20obviously have to play on Wednesday night away at Millwall. That'll be tough. But three

00:24points clear of Burnley in third place, who were held to a goalless draw against Derby.

00:30A game you thought Burnley would have won, but they didn't. And also Sunderland only

00:34drawing 1-1 as well. So finally gaps are starting to open, only small gaps. But I think really

00:41more than the gaps opening, what you would take from that there this evening is the performance

00:46against clearly a very, very good Middlesbrough side. And that's obviously now another big

00:52team that Leeds have, a big promotion rival that Leeds have beaten here at Ellen Road.

00:55Obviously following the earliest victory against Sheffield United and earlier in the season

00:59obviously defeat against Burnley. But that was a game that Leeds could and probably should

01:04have got something from, but that's gone now. And it sort of reminded me a little bit of

01:08the Sheffield United game this one, in terms of like the build up to it, how important

01:13I think everybody knew it would be. I mean, obviously Middlesbrough came here and started

01:18I think it's seven points behind Leeds, which is a fair gap. But I don't think there's any

01:23doubt that they could probably get it going and get a run together at some stage. And

01:28obviously, you know, you're talking like a six-pointer that could go seven points, it

01:30could go to four, it could go to 10 and that's now put them 10 ahead of them. So, I mean,

01:34obviously like, you know, you never know what can happen, but that's a decent, fairly big

01:37gap at this stage of the season. But obviously, you know, at the moment it's about Leeds,

01:42you know, trying to get well top and into the top two and try and push clear and establish

01:46gaps themselves. And hopefully now they can start to do that with, you know, in the end

01:50here, a really, really good performance. And there's no doubt like who I think everybody's

01:54man of the match will be. Absolute star man was Dan James. And when he's playing like

01:59that, what a player he is. I mean, his pace just caused absolute nightmares for Borough,

02:04constantly just getting down that right flank. And it was no surprise really that he got

02:08the goal that put Leeds back 2-1 in front, set up the first goal, got away down the right,

02:14Sam Byron played him in, send the ball across goal, Kepa Dieng made a right hash of it,

02:19basically trying to sort of smother it and Nonto converted from close range. It's the

02:22same old story then. Leeds had loads of chances to add to the tally and didn't take any of

02:26them. Borough had a couple on the break and stuff, you know, they did have a few chances.

02:29They probably thought they could have had a penalty with a road run possible foul, but

02:33they didn't get that. And there was, you know, a couple of other bits and bobs, but basically

02:36the first half was all Leeds. Borough were very disappointing. And really the only worry

02:40you had at half time was that Leeds were already 1-0 up. You know, they probably could have

02:43been 2-3 up. And against a team like this, Borough side, the players they've got and

02:48when you know what they're capable of, you sort of knew they'd improve after the break

02:52and that's exactly what they did. They came flying out the traps and they were offside

02:55like about 20 seconds in through Latte Lath. You know, that was the sort of a warning shot

03:00really there. Leeds still had a couple of chances but it was basically all Borough and

03:04it wasn't really a massive surprise when they equalised. And it was an unfortunate own goal

03:08from Max Werber who obviously scored at the weekend in the right net but scored in the

03:12wrong net tonight. A flicked header trying to clear a corner that was sent into the top

03:15left-hand corner and he just thought, here we go. And then obviously Borough, you know,

03:20went for it as you can imagine, tails up, sort of like pressed on to try and go 2-1

03:24in front. A real key turning point was a massive save from Mellier who, you know, really, Ben

03:32Doak's feet sort of came sliding out of his goal and just thwarted him right at his feet.

03:37It looked like that would be a goal and it wasn't too long after that that Leeds went

03:412-1 in front. So, I mean, that just shows how important that was. And the 2-1 in front

03:46was through Dan James who himself actually should have scored seconds earlier when played

03:50in. I mean, it was more or less one-on-one coming in from the side of the box. Went for

03:54the bottom corner but Dieng saved. But it was honestly within, it must have been within

03:57a minute of that, Joe Pirou had come on, played him in and this time an absolutely clinical

04:02finish into the top left-hand corner. Absolutely smashed it home and this place went absolutely

04:06nuts as you can imagine because I think people, well, they thought that would probably be

04:09the winner. You still worry then obviously that Borough are going to come back and they

04:12did, like, you know, sort of threaten again but not as much as they had been doing. It

04:16was just the fact, really, that it was only one goal in it which is obviously very delicate.

04:21You can imagine the scenes as I think it was seven minutes of added time were announced

04:24that went down like a lead balloon. But actually, you know, they survived it, saw it out pretty

04:28well Leeds really and in the end with Borough pressing men forward they grabbed the third

04:32goal and that was superb play from Yalcin Aker who has been an absolutely amazing side

04:36and he has had one basically bad game at Blackburn but other than that how good has he been?

04:42Just superb, came in, intercepted the ball, drove forward, played it out to James, James

04:46then played it back into the box, Tanaka could and should have scored but played it back

04:49across goal very unselfishly and there was Brendan Aronson to net and that was 3-1, job

04:53done and like, you know, everybody knew that was it then. Borough looked done, like, they

04:56did finish on the attack a bit but the game was over. And that was it, job done and 3-1

05:00and that is a very, very big victory and, you know, definitely one of the biggest victories

05:04of the season. Obviously the Blades game as well, you know, stands up there but that

05:09was a huge one, that to sort of, A, back up the win against Derby at the weekend against

05:13very different opposition here, obviously return to top spot, put the pressure on Sheffield

05:17United and basically if they keep playing like that then they should go up but, I mean,

05:22it is easier said than done but, I mean, you know, there were odds on favourites before

05:25tonight, they are going to be even shorter favourites now, you know, so there is going

05:29to be more pressure coming with it now because obviously whatever happens with Sheffield

05:32United, they are going to be in the top two as they head to this weekend's game at Preston

05:37and, you know, that is sort of one where you just wonder what is going to happen there

05:39because obviously the way form has been the problem really with this team and too many

05:43games where they have not gone their way and that will be difficult at Preston, lunchtime

05:47kick-off as well, which is obviously one of those things you worry about but, you know,

05:50we have got to go there now and back that up really and, you know, whatever happens

05:53they have got, they are going to go there with these three points in the bag and obviously

05:56looking in a very, very good position. Other bits and bobs tonight, Rodon took a bit of

06:00a knock but it seemed to be okay and hopefully came through it, likewise Rothwell, we will

06:03wait on injury updates with those and stuff. Ethan Ampadu finally made his return, came

06:07on as a second half sub towards the end, that was fantastic, he obviously got amazing cheers

06:11when he came on, so another boost there. Obviously we have got the injuries, Firpo we have heard

06:15about this week is facing four to six weeks out, so that is obviously a shame. Where else

06:19have we got the injury to Firpo? Jadon Bogle did not make it this evening, it did not sound

06:25like he was going to make it to be honest. In fact, Presser, he said he had had a chance

06:29but it did not really sound particularly hopeful, so he did not play, so that meant Byron and

06:34Max Verba coming in to the team for those two changes at the back. Obviously Willy Nonsu

06:39came in as well. Matteo Joseph got a go up front, just sort of felt like he was trying

06:42a bit hard really, he just needs a goal, there is no doubt how good a player he is, he is

06:45very, very lively and offers something different to Peru. Peru offers something different to

06:49him, you know, they are different players but he was very, very lively but just sort

06:52of like, he just needs a goal and there was one chance where James sent it across the

06:56box when he just did not quite anticipate it quickly enough, but it is not quite happening

07:01for him at the minute but I am sure it will do at some stage soon because he is obviously

07:03a very, very talented player. Tanaka again, superb in midfield, defence solid against

07:09decent Middlesbrough players, but there is no doubt who the best player was this evening

07:14I think, Dan James was just absolutely everywhere and Borough will be very, very glad to see

07:20the back of him. Hopefully Leeds will see the back of the Championship as well soon

07:24because hopefully they will be going up to the Premier League, it is very, very early

07:26yet but it is looking very, very good you have got to say and wins and performances

07:30like that will take them up hopefully. So, a fantastic evening here, everybody goes home

07:35very, very happy. Leeds United 3, promotion rivals Middlesbrough 1.

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