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Leeds' Mateusz Klich (right) scores
Leeds’ Mateusz Klich (right) scores on the stroke of half-time against Middlesbrough at the Riverside. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA
Leeds’ Mateusz Klich (right) scores on the stroke of half-time against Middlesbrough at the Riverside. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA

Mateusz Klich sinks Middlesbrough and gives Leeds breathing space

This article is more than 4 years old

Marcelo Bielsa’s smile at the final whistle was as bright as the stars in the clear night sky above Teesside. The Leeds manager had not merely seen his second-placed side maintain a decent chink of daylight between themselves and the Championship’s chasing pack but he had proof they can cope without their midfield enforcer Kalvin Phillips after all.

Yet if Leeds, five points clear of third-placed Fulham, are cautiously optimistic about automatic promotion, one of their former players could be heading in the opposite direction. Mateusz Klich’s goal left Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough in deep trouble after a match in which they, creditably, refused to fold but still looked distinctly second best and were mocked with chants of “going down” from the 4,500 away fans.

Not that Woodgate was buying it. “If we keep playing like that we’ll be fine,” the Boro manager said. “We’ll keep on fighting.”

A broken finger failed to prevent Kiko Casilla – still waiting for a Football Association disciplinary panel’s verdict on the racism complaint against him by West Brom’s former Charlton loanee Jonathan Leko – starting in the visiting goal. “It was a brave decision for Kiko to play with the pain he had,” Bielsa said. “But his was a good performance.”

Phillips though failed to recover from injury in time and his absence from the all important anchoring role led to Ben White vacating his central defensive berth to fill a gap left by a player so pivotal for Leeds this season he is seen as a potential dark horse for the England squad. No wonder White looked slightly on edge as Leeds initially struggled to find a coherent passing wavelength.

Fortunately for this ersatz anchor, Boro, without a league win since New Year’s Day, were even more tentative. Woodgate’s team – without their January star signing Ravel Morrison who was on the bench – inadvertently helped White settle into his new role. With Leeds establishing an ominously convincing pass’n’move groove, Boro had reason to be grateful for an old boy’s profligacy.

There is much to admire about Patrick Bamford but Bielsa’s lone forward is not always exactly ruthless and his litany of missed chances this season – largely explains why West Brom rather than Leeds top the table.

Aware his side were living dangerously, Woodgate looked particularly alarmed as a slick manoeuvre sliced through his defence like an aeroplane cutting through cloud and concluded with Aynsley Pears diving smartly to keep out Stuart Dallas’s low shot.

Leeds’ Helder Costa battles with Middlesbrough’s Jonathan Howson under the lights. Photograph: Alex Dodd - CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images

Betrayed, repeatedly, by poor final balls Boro failed to capitalise on Hayden Coulson’s ability to outpace Luke Ayling and often struggled to get out of their own half. Casilla barely needed to flex his wounded finger.

Woodgate’s players appeared riven with assorted fractures of their own and, shortly after Pablo Hernández’s shot ricocheted back off a post, their backline finally broke.

With Boro caught out by a rapid counterattack which ended with Bamford cleverly cueing up Hernández, they proved powerless to clear the fallout from that rebound and, seizing the initiative, Klich played a one-two with Hernández before sending a low shot arrowing into the bottom corner.

Scored as half time beckoned, his goal could have destroyed Boro’s morale but, instead, it motivated them with Coulson’s audacious nutmegging of Ayling possibly emblematic of the potential locked somewhere deep inside this team.

George Saville unleashed their first shot on target in three games but, finally called to arms, Casilla tipped it over the bar. Woodgate’s horizon had briefly brightened but, although Marcus Tavernier would subsequently curl a shot against the bar, Pears was soon performing wonders to repel Hernández’s swerving shot before Leeds had a strong-looking penalty appeal rejected when Jack Harrison was sent tumbling.

“Middlesbrough were above their recent level,” Bielsa said. “It was very tough but we stayed calm and managed situations well.”

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