Summing up
Leeds deserved that, for their superior sharpness and shape, and might have won more comfortably given that Boro shouldn’t really have been awarded the penalty that put them back in the game, though they belatedly found a bit of tempo and bite late in the game and might have stolen a draw. It developed into an enjoyable game in the end, after a so-so beginning, with the sort of needle and snarl that you might expect given this match’s back-story and that it was either a Yorkshire derby or a Yorkshire-Teesside set-to, depending on your regional perspective.
Anyway, the upshot of it all is that Leeds are back in the play-off mix and Middlesbrough have got a bit more thinking to do. Thanks for your company and emails. Bye.
Full-time: Leeds 2-1 Middlesbrough
Leeds end their losing run and Boro’s winning one, ruining their former manager’s return into the bargain.
90+7 mins: Boro squander their final chance when a cross in from the right is headed out and the referee blows for a foul on Cooper.
90+6 mins: Traore powers down the right again, checks back, drives forward and wins a corner. The corner is floated in deep by Downing to Ayala beyond the back post and he can only send his header looping onto the roof of the net, to raucous cheers from the home crowd.
90+5 mins: Leeds’s final sub: Alioski, who’s sparkled intermittently all game, is off, replaced by Pennington. He walks off slowly, milking the applause, and extending the game’s length further.
90+3 mins: Traore induces another foul after Hernandez trips him to halt a driving run on the right touchline. Hernandez is booked, and miffed. Downing’s delivery is headed out by the redoubtable Vieira.
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90+2 mins: Leeds break with Alioski on the right. They momentarily have three on one but Boro track back and Alioski wastes it after foraging into the area and then passing it out, too tired to get past his man and retrieve it.
90 mins: There will be 7 (seven) added minutes.
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89 mins: Howson wins the ball back from Traore and sends a shot from 20 yards that’s deflected for a corner, which Leeds clear.
88 mins: Leeds substitution: Saiz, who’s been less involved in the past 10 minutes or so, is replaced by Eunan O’Kane. Which gives us a chance to review more penalty box argy bargy involving, yet again, Ayala, this time tangling with Ayling and Berardi
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86 mins: Traore’s pace and presence has made a difference for Boro, and he draws a foul from Phillips inside his own half that brings the Leeds man a booking.
85 mins: Boro chance! Traore’s cross from the right has to be clawed away by Lonergan, it comes back out to Braithwaite whose shot takes a deflection that could have gone anywhere. Fortunately, for Leeds it just ricocheted wide with the keeper prostrate.
84 mins: Ekuban puts Ayala under pressure in pursuit of a long ball forward and after a moment of unease Randolph gathers.
81 mins: This has been an absorbing, full-blooded and open second half, after an unexceptional first period, Alioski feeds Ekbuban on the right, who slides it wide for Hernandez but his ball in is cleared. There’s a sense attack might be Leeds’ best form of defence at the moment.
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79 mins: Leeds win a free-kick on the right, which is curled in teasingly and lands at the feet of Ekuban, whose first touch is too leaden and Boro clear.
78 mins: Leeds sub: Caleb Ekuban, returning for the first time since injury in August, replaces Roofe. Leeds need cool heads now. They’re entitled to feel aggrieved about the penalty, awarded for retaliation to an unpunished foul, and Boro might feel their luck’s turning.
Goal! Leeds 2-1 Middlesbrough (Assombalonga, 77)
Assmobalonga belts it beyond the keeper’s left, and this feisty game is about to get a bit more full-blooded. A few flagpoles were being thrown on from the south stand, delaying the kick. And there are boos round the ground.
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Penalty to Boro
The assistant spots something the referee, Keith Stroud, didn’t inside the Leeds area. Ayala went to ground, certainly, and after lengthy conflab, the ref points to the spot. It looked as if Ayala pulled back Ayling, who then pushed his leg away as he lay on the ground
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74 mins: Assombalonga feeds Downing who plays in Johnson inside the area as Boro up the pace but Leeds briefly regain possession before Fletcher wins Boro a corner with a run down the left.
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71 mins: Boro substitution: Fletcher for Leadbitter – another attacking one.
70 mins: Kalvin Phillips tackles Traore to break up a Boro move and works it out to Ayling but the move breaks down. The visitors regroup, but again Leeds win the crucial tackles when it comes near their box. Then Assombalonga does have an actual shot: he’s 20 yards out when doing so, but his curled effort is just wide of the keeper’s left-hand post.
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69 mins: Stat-gasm: Assombalonga has been busy today but has not had a single touch in Leeds’s six-yard box.
67 mins: Leeds win another corner when Roofe pressures Ayala into heading Ayling’s cross behind. The inswinging delivery just eludes the Leeds cavalry, Jansson and Cooper, and goes behind for a goalkick.
66 mins: Traore is involved straight away, bullocking down the right and sending in a low cross that’s cleared for a throw but Boro are looking more dangerous than at any time in the match at the moment.
65 mins: Vieira wins possession for Leeds again in midfield – he’s been an impressive presence there today – but this time the home side do little with it. And Boro win a throw, which gives Monk breathing space to make another substitution: Friend off, Traore on. Which looks like a necessarily attacking switch.
63 mins: Boro have stepped it up, belatedly, and Downing tests Lonergan again with a low shot that’s well parried behind by the keeper at his near post.
62 mins: Cooper misses with a free header! Hernandez’s curling free-kick finds Cooper in space, the Boro defence caught cold but it’s steered wide. He really should have scored. This game has livened up massively.
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61 mins: Boro booking: Hoswon clatters the back of Alioski and the former Leeds’ man’s underwhelming afternoon continues with a yellow card.
59 mins: “Fuck Garry Monk,” chorus the home fans, who according to the commentary team had been giving the former boss a light ride this afternoon. Boro respond by coming as close as they’ve come all afternoon. Roberts’ cross from the right by-line is met by Braithwaite’s volley which is turned behind on the line for a corner.
57 mins: Off the post! Saiz is well fed by Viera and after a sideways run turns to send a precise angled drive past the keeper which rebounds off the keeper’s right-hand post.
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56 mins: Good response from Boro, a cross from the left is volleyed just wide by Tavernier, for whom it’s the last action of the afternoon. He is replaced by Johnson.
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55 mins: That was a lovely breakaway, which owed much to Roofe’s driving run through the inside-left channel. The lay-off to Hernandez was perfectly weighted, as was the ball in for Alioski to crash in from close range.
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Goal! Leeds 2-0 Middlesbrough (Alioski, 54)
And Leeds counter sweetly and score
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54 mins: Chance for Boro squandered. Assombalomba plays in Downing on the right, his ball from in is flicked on to Tavernier on the left but his first touch lets him down, forcing him to hook his second high into the south stand.
53 mins: … which is delivered low to the near post and cleared, but Boro come again with Downing, whose cross is also cheered. And Boro have possession in a pegged-back situation again. Berardi eventually wins back possession from Ayala.
52 mins: Confusion at the back as consecutive sliced clearances from Friend and, I think, Ayala gift Leeds a throw in a promising position on the right. Nothing comes form it though and Tavernier gets forward on the left, beating one man but not another to win Boro a rare corner.…
50 mins: Boro have expected far too much here from Assombalomba, who’s been busy but a bit of a lone figure and lone outlet, which contrasts with the more composed interplay between Leeds’ attacking players behind Roofe. Boro have a stint of possession again but they’re being pressed back with it.
48 mins: From which a lovely one-two between Ayling and Alioski puts in the former on the right, whose shot is blasted over at the near post. Leeds restarting where they left off so far.
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47 mins: Leeds are on the offensive early on: Ayling feeding Alioski, who finds Saiz who rather wastes a cross from the right. But Leeds are pressing high and well on Boro, and they regain possession inside their opponents’ half.
Peep!
Leeds get things restarted. Can Boro carve out more with their possession this half?
Some more half-time punditry from you the public. “Some strange decisions from the ref today,” growls Jeff Gurr. Physical, niggly games like these often provide them. While JR in Illinois asks the even more important question, “Any word yet on whether Middlesbrough is in Yorkshire or not? Somehow I have a feeling the question will not be definitively answered during this MBM. Or probably ever.” I’ve devolved the answer to this question, as I’m sure you’ve had enough of London elites dictating what’s what.
Some half-time punditry:
Prutton’s hair exceptional this afternoon https://t.co/32ekfaAuRT
— Max Rushden (@maxrushden) November 19, 2017
Prutton’s never been a shrinking violet, hair-wise, after all.
Half-time: Leeds 1-0 Middlesbrough
The whistle peeps, and Leeds trudge off deservedly in front. They’ve looked the neater, more confident side and a Monk signing, Hernandez, has given them their reward. Not quite what might have been expected in a firm and physical game, all things considered. See you in a bit.
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45+2 mins: The free-kick on the left is hooked clear by Assombalonga, back in his six-yard box, and within half a minute the Boro striker is driving into the Leeds area on the right. He thinks he’s won a corner after it bobbles out of play but the referee gives a goalkick.
45 mins: Leeds are snapping into their tackles well, and winning free-kicks when doing so. Alioski wins another on the right, which is worked out well to Jansson on the left, who wins another free-kick after Ayala tugs him back. Three minutes to be added.
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43 mins: Another neat move ends with Hernandez, who’s grown into the game, feeding Alioski on the right-hand edge of the area and his left-foot curling shot is deflected over for a corner, from which Boro clear.
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42 mins: Friend, already booked, gets another talking to after Alioski goes down clutching his lefg after an aeriel challenge with the Boro left-back. It looked unintentional but it’s a Leeds free-kick 50 yards or so out. And it delivers a Leeds chance, Cooper meeting Hernandez’s tantalising outswinging delivery with a lunging header that’s only fractionally wide of the right-hand post.
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39 mins: Downing tries to go longer with a diagonal ball towards Tavernier on the left by-line but it’s overhit. Boro look a little short of ideas at the moment.
38 mins: Ayling’s definitely winning the battle of the marauding full-backs against Friend on Leeds’ right and his tenacity and interplay with Alioski initiates another long spell of Leeds possession. It ends when Hernandez’s attempted threaded ball forward to Saiz on the edge of the area is cleared. But Leeds are definitely looking the more assured side now.
36 mins: Boro win a corner after Braithwaite’s crafty backheel plays in Downing before his cross is blocked. A teasing corner is punched clear.
35 mins: Another booking: Leeds’s Jansson barges Braithwaite out of the away off the ball and gets a yellow card. All getting a little tasty.
34 mins: The free-kick is headed tamely at Lonergan by Ayala and Boro again do little with a possible opening.
33 mins: Leeds booking. Berardi clatters Roberts right in front of the assistant referee and immediately sees yellow.
31 mins: The resultant free-kick is delayed amid more kerfuffling in the penalty area and is eventually flicked to Saiz on the left but the ball takes too long to come down and his attempted lob finds only the roof of the net.
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30 mins: Boro need to start being more productive with their possession now, but Leeds are now looking hungrier and a raking long ball finds Sainz by the right by-line who tricks and tussles with Friend, eventually inducing the Boro full-back into a foul for which he is booked.
26 mins: Just as the game was meandering a little, Leeds have their tails up. It wasn’t exactly coming but they’ve played with reasonable amount of confidence. And Saiz, Alioski and Hernandez are beginning to combine to neat effect.
Goal! Leeds 1-0 Middlesbrough (Hernandez, 24)
Leeds lead. Alioski crosses from the right, Phillips flicks on and Hernandez steals in at the far post on the left to poke a left-foot shot in the roof of the net.
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23 mins: Tavernier intercepts a weak goalkick and sends the ever-busy Assombalonga clear on the left, winning a throw by the corner flag for Boro. Braithwaite tries a driving run into the box on the left but was bulldozing into cul-de-sacs and Lonergan clears
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21 mins: Chances for Boro! Assombalonga skips clear in space on the right and skims a low ball across the six-yard box that Tavernier and Braithwaite each can’t quite reach. Leeds clear but not for long and Downing tests the keeper with a rasping shot from 20 yards that’s turned behind by Lonergan for a corner. Friend nearly scores from that too, rising at the far post to send a header just wide.
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19 mins: Boro enjoy a little spell of possession, with Roberts and Downing working the angles neatly on the right but they too can’t pierce the back line and Leeds break and Berardi shoots weakly from 30 yards and Randolph gathers. It’ll count as a shot on goal but it carried no threat.
17 mins: BraithwaJansson poleaxes Tavernier with a stray elbow onto the top of the head contesting an aerial ball inside the Leeds half. The Boro man needs to be checked out pitchside but he’s fine and Boro meanwhile do nothing with their attacking opportunity.
15 mins: Saiz and Alioski combine to put Ayling through on the right but his cross from the byline is cleared. Some nice ideas from Leeds but not quite the killer touch so far.
13 mins: Tavernier shoves Ayling wantonly in the back to concede a free-kick waste a potential Boro attack. They win it back but, and Howson, against his old club, almost puts Assombalonga clear with a skimming incisive pass on the left but just overhits it.
11 mins: Leeds move possession around nicely midway inside Boro’s half with Alioski and Roofe prominent but they can’t find the penetration on this occasion and a stray pass gifts Boro a throw and a chance to lift the (light) pressure.
8 mins: Braithwaite forages down the right for Boro at the other end but his near-post cross misses Assombalonga and is headed behind for a corner, which is curled all the way out at the other side. There’s some tangling in the box though with Berardi appearing to pull Assombalonga down and Boro look aggrieved, with some justification. Could have had a penalty there.
7 mins: … which comes to nothing, after a bit of tussling in the box between Roberts and Roofe.
6 mins: Assombalonga does well to win possession on halfway but Boro can’t work an opening from it initially before they come again and Assombalonga and Friend combine neatly on the left before Leeds clear and counter on the left through Roofe, who feeds Sainz then Alioski who skins Friend impressively on the right and wins a corner …
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4 mins: An early spell of pressure wins Boro a free-kick for a foul on Braithwaite. D4wning curls it in but Jansson heads it out for a throw. Roberts’ long throw momentarily causes panic but Leeds clear and it’s scuffed back out left for a throw to Leeds
2 mins: Tavernier puts Saiz under pressure and wins Boro a throw halfway through Leeds’ half, but Boro squander possession when Tavernier’s pass from it fails to find Downing and danger is averted.
Peep!
Boro get us underway, attacking the Revie Stand end.
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The teams come out, to what sounds like a lively old-school Elland Road atmosphere. Some boos great Monk. Sky describing this as a “Yorkshire derby”. What’s the line on this one Teessiders?
Garry Monk’s brief pre-match chat with sky focuses on his “good memories of here and everything like that but it’s not about me, it’s about my team. It’s been a good international break and we’ve worked hard.” Before he repeats the “it’s not about me” riff when pressed on the sort of response he’s likely to get It’s not the focus on myself
Christiansen admits there are many aspects of Leeds’s game they can improve on but says, “We’ve done good work in these two weeks. And this is a game where we don’t need extra motivation. There will be a reaction,” he promises.
The teams
Leeds: Lonergan; Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Berardi, Vieira, Phillips, Saíz, Hernandez, Alioski, Roofe. Subs: Wieldwald, Pennington, Anita, O’Kane, Sacko, Ekuban
Middlesbrough: Randolph; Roberts, Ayala, Gibson, Friend, Leadbitter, Howson, Downing, Tavernier, Braithwaite, Assombalonga. Subs: Dimi, Fabio, Fry, Forshaw, Johnson, Traoré, Fletcher
Pre-match reading: a nice interview by Louise Taylor with Boro’s Britt Assombalonga
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Preamble
Afternoon everyone. When Garry Monk stepped off the ever-active Leeds managerial merry-go-round to join Middlesbrough in the summer, some questioned the move. Leeds, after all, were finally free of the turbulent ownership of Massimo Cellino while Boro had just endured the most listless of relegations. And Leeds certainly made the sparkier start to the season, hitting the leading pack early under the progressive management of Thomas Christiansen while Monk’s new side pulled up few trees. But it’s all turned around a bit in the past few weeks, Leeds losing four matches in a row going into this match while Boro have won their last three. And it is they who sit in the play-off positions this morning with Leeds having drifted down to 11th.
Monk can expect a feisty reception today, with many Leeds fans still unhappy at the nature of his departure. His new side still aren’t exactly rattling in the goals for fun, given that they boast attacking talent ranging from Britt Assombalonga and the burgeoning young talent of Marcus Tavernier to the veteran Stewart Downing, but they can threaten Leeds today. Christiansen, meanwhile, is facing increasing pressure after recent results, which might well have seen him swiftly sacked in the Cellino era, with fans wondering about his tactical flexibility and the underwhelming impact of some summer signings. Still, top scorer Samuel Saíz has impressed and Kemar Roofe has always had plenty about him and you’d expect Leeds to be in contention throughout the season.
And in a surely decisive intervention for today’s match, Leeds have reconfigured seats in the East Stand to spell out the words “together”, which the players won’t be able to read during the game due to people being sat on them. It’s the sort of sub-David Brent initiative that has footballers pointlessly tweeting “we go again” after their team’s every defeat. Still, Leeds fans have due cause to be happier with how their club is now run than they have for many many years so I’m probably being unduly snarky.
Kick-off 1.15pm GMT.
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