Middlesbrough will host Championship challengers Leeds at the Riverside on Wednesday but can Jonathan Woodgate take revenge on Marcelo Bielsa?
Jonathan Woodgate believes Middlesbrough’s recent record against top Championship opposition stands them in good stead to claim an unexpected victory over an ‘exceptional’ Leeds United side on Wednesday night, while speaking to the Hartlepool Mail.
Ahead of the midweek clash at the Riverside, Leeds are back in form and pushing for promotion once again. Marcelo Bielsa’s side have picked up seven points from three matches; as many as Middlesbrough have accumulated in their last nine league games.
So it is fair to say few will be backing the relegation threatened hosts to claim a measure of revenge on a side who battered them 4-0 at Elland Road before Christmas.
But Woodgate, a former Leeds defender, is at pains to point out that Middlesbrough have often saved their best performances for the big occasions in recent months.
“Leeds are an exceptional team but I believe we can beat them. We beat West Brom, beat Preston, drew with Fulham, drew with Bristol City,” said an under-fire coach, who’s youthful side also ran Tottenham close in the FA Cup.
At the start of 2020, Boro followed up a stunning 2-0 win away at league leaders West Bromwich Albion with an identical result at play-off chasing Preston North End.
You would get long odds on Middlesbrough repeating the trick when Leeds come to town, however.
Much will likely depend on whether Kalvin Phillips, Bielsa’s homegrown talisman, is passed fit to play after being subbed off against Reading on Saturday.
Leeds produced arguably their two worst performances of the season in defeats to Nottingham Forest and Wigan when Phillips was out through suspension before immediately finding form once he had returned.
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