Leeds were battered 3-0 by Middlesbrough on Friday night.
Paul Heckingbottom arguably suffered his worst result as Leeds United’s manager on Friday night as the Whites were battered 3-0 by Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough on Teesside.
In a match that saw Patrick Bamford score a hat-trick, Leeds were particularly woeful in almost every department. Goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald as atrocious, while all four defenders made a catalogue of individual errors.
Heckingbottom even made two changes at half-time, almost self-admitting that he had made mistakes when picking his starting line-up. Ezgjan Alioski and Kalvin Phillips were replaced by Adam Forshaw and Ronaldo Vieira at the break.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Liam Cooper and Vurnon Anita came under criticism on social media, but one of Leeds’ worst performers on the night was without a doubt 27-year-old midfielder Eunan O’Kane.
The Ireland international flopped in the middle of the park, with fans questioning why the former Bournemouth even started the match on Twitter with £4.5million January signing Forshaw on the bench.
Misplaced passes, lack of positioning and questionable decision making were highlights of O’Kane’s performance. Such a display could give Heckingbottom all the evidence he needs to give O’Kane the Luke Murphy treatment until the end of the season.
Still on Leeds’ books, Murphy has failed to feature for the Whites since August 2016 and is currently on loan at Burton Albion – being ostracised by Garry Monk and then for a second time under Thomas Christiansen.
Way below the required standard in the middle of the park, Leeds should consider selling O’Kane in the summer and it should take an injury crisis or a situation in which O’Kane is the last resort for the Irishman to play again this term.
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