Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship table after a 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough at Elland Road on Tuesday night.
Goals from Dan James, Brendan Aaronson and Willy Gnonto secured the win for Daniel Farke’s side, putting them right back into the thick of a title battle.
The victory was an eighth straight victory on home soil, with their home form massively boosting their ambitions of returning to the Premier League come the end of the season.
It was a hard-fought win against another side with aspirations of returning to England’s top flight, but the Whites have once again proven their strength in depth with numerous players having a huge impact on proceedings.
Players starred all over the pitch in Yorkshire last night, helping Farke’s side extend their unbeaten run, with many of them certainly exceeding all expectations in recent months under the German’s guidance.
Leeds United’s star performers against Middlesbrough
Midfielder Ao Tanaka arrived with next to no supporter having a clue who he was, but it’s safe to say he’s made himself a fan favourite since joining and nailing down a starting role under Farke.
The Japanese midfielder registered his first assist for the club last night, finding himself in a superb position after a perfectly timed third-man run, before a neat touch and composed pass into the path of Aaronson secured all three points late on.
He also completed two tackles and created three chances for his teammates – with both being the highest of any player on the pitch last night.
As for teammate James, he’s started to demonstrate why the hierarchy were so keen to bring him to Elland Road, notching his fourth league strike of the campaign to date.
The Welshman completed two of his three attempted dribbles, also managing to get five shots off as he looked a constant nuisance to the opposition within the final third.
However, the same can’t be said for one player who simply failed to take advantage of his rare start in Yorkshire during the clash with Michael Carrick’s side.
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The player who Leeds need to drop after Middlesbrough
Striker Mateo Joseph was a regular starter during the opening weeks of 2024/25 but has found himself mainly as an impact player in recent months.
The Spaniard has only started three times in the Championship since the start of October, with Joel Piroe the man often selected by the boss to lead the line.
However, he was handed the chance from the off against Boro, but failed to prove why he should be the Whites’ leading talisman between now and the end of the campaign.
|
Mateo Joseph’s stats vs Middlesbrough |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
69 |
|
Touches |
22 |
|
Shots taken |
0 |
|
Duels won |
0/8 (0%) |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Crosses |
0 |
|
Times caught offside |
1 |
|
Possession lost |
6x |
|
Fouls committed |
1 |
|
Stats via SofaScore |
|
The 21-year-old featured for 69 minutes before being replaced by the Dutchman, failing to register a single shot on goal or win a single one of the eight duels that he contested.
Joseph could only muster 22 touches during the win, often looking ineffective, also being caught offside and failing to offer the threat he would’ve desired.
As a result of his showing, he was handed a 5/10 match rating by the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Joe Donnohue – the lowest of any player, highlighting his lack of impact on the clash.
To make matters worse for the youngster, Piroe was his replacement on the night, registering the assist for James’ goal just minutes after entering the field – proving why he’s often been the man to start over Joseph in the last few matches.
Given his showing, Farke needs to drop the academy star ahead of the weekend’s trip to face Preston as the club hunt for their third win in succession.
He’s undoubtedly a player with huge potential, but ultimately, Piroe is the better option for Leeds, holding the key to their promotion ambitions and ending their two-year exile from the Premier League.
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