Sheffield Wednesday did not require the incredible efforts Leeds did in order to beat Middlesbrough.
Leeds United pulled off one of the results of the season when they beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at the Riverside just over a week ago.
A strong defensive effort saw them hold out for an impressive win after Alex Mowatt scored early, with the result a blow to the automatic promotion hopes of Aitor Karanka’s side.
At the weekend the stage was set for a similar type of contest. Sheffield Wednesday, who had been up until a fortnight ago, the lowest scorers in the Championship, aiming to potentially pull off another smash and grab win against Middlesbrough.
They were able to come away with a victory, but were not tested in a similar way Leeds were by Middlesbrough, who disappointed in the 2-0 loss at Hillsborough.
This was highlighted by the in-game actions of two centre-backs. New Leeds signing Sol Bamba, and Tom Lees, who they let go on a free transfer to Wednesday last summer.
| Team | Won Tackles | Interceptions Won | Aerial Duels Won | Shots Blocked | Effective Clearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sol Bamba | Leeds | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 90 |
| Tom Lees | Sheff Wed | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 90 |
Bamba was pressed into making a high 14 clearances by Middlesbrough, while Tom Lees was required to make just one in the process of Sheffield Wednesday keeping a clean sheet.
Middlesbrough had a 1-0 win over Bolton between the two games, but have now won just one in four games, which is not top-two finishing form. Their poor display against Wednesday, in which they enjoyed just 46 per cent possession, illustrated just how they have gone off the boil.
They have a winnable fixture against relegation mired Millwall this week, but after that it gets a little tougher for them. Boro face Nottingham Forest, before consecutive clashes against Ipswich, Derby and Bournemouth, all rivals for promotion places.
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