There’s no shame in losing to one of the greatest ever Championship teams, but Monk beleives his side were unfortunate.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk has refuted claims that there was a huge difference between his side and runaway leaders Newcastle in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Elland Road, as reported by the Shields Gazette.
Dwight Gayle’s 12th and 13th Championship goals of the season, the first following a mistake from Rob Green, brought an end to Leeds’ three game winning run in the second tier, a period of form that earned them a place in the play-off positions for the first time in almost three years.
However, Rafael Benitez’s league leaders proved to be a cut above in the first league meeting between the two sides since 2004, but Monk believes the game was sealed in decisive moments rather than 90 minutes of domination.
“Today’s game was decided on critical moments,” Monk told the Shields Gazette. “Our commitment was very good but we fell on the wrong side of those moments. Had we not we probably would have got a result.
“We obviously made a mistake for the first goal and that made it difficult but we reacted really well.
“For the last 15 minutes of the first half we were on top of them and had a goal gone in it would have changed the context of the game.
“We just needed that goal. But in terms of competing and attitude, you can see there wasn’t a gulf of difference.”
While Newcastle appear to be cruising to their second Championship title in the space of seven years, Leeds have submerged themselves in a wide-ranging battle for the play-off positions.
Currently, only six points separates a stalling Norwich City in sixth and Ipswich Town in seventeenth, with one of the most unpredictable leagues in Europe once again living up to its billing.
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