Leeds suffered at the hands of Middlesbrough for large periods only to leave the Riverside Stadium with a memorable Championship win.
Leeds United’s remarkable 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon will be remembered for plenty of reasons.
Alex Mowatt’s early goal got Leeds off to the perfect start. Marco Silvestri’s performance, meanwhile, was simply unforgettable.
But a huge aspect of the Yorkshire side’s memorable win was the superb displays of their rearguard.
Charlie Taylor impressed, so too Scott Wootton and Giuseppe Bellusci. January loan signing Sol Bamba was the standout but all four worked together in tandem – with those up front helping out defensively too.
The amount of last-ditch tackles they made was simply sensational – but there was another key area of their performance that stood out.
| Match | Effective Clearances | |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | Middlesbrough vs Leeds | 67 |
| Fulham | Rotherham vs Fulham | 66 |
| Brentford | Cardiff vs Brentford | 62 |
| Blackpool | Blackpool vs Brighton | 61 |
Indeed, as Opta stats show, no side has made more clearances than Leeds did against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium during a Championship game this season.
Bamba, Bellusci, Taylor, Wootton and more were all exceptional in terms of clearing their lines, while Bellusci made a spectacular goal-line clearance during the first half.
The amount of clearances Leeds were forced into shows just how dominant Middlesbrough were in stages – and the incredible statistic illustrates just how remarkable their eventual three points were.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
