It’s Woody hell as Leeds legend has an unhappy return
LEEDS stormed to the top of the Championship and heaped further pressure on Elland Road legend Jonathan Woodgate.
The Middlesbrough boss could only watch in horror as Marcelo Bielsa’s men scored twice in each half to make it a nightmare return to the club where he made his name.
And to add further insult to injury for the suffering Boro fans former player Patrick Bamford was the star of the show, scoring the first and setting up the second.
Although it means Leeds secured a fifth straight win to top the pile, the manner of victory was what pleased Bielsa the most.
“It’s important to go top but we all know there is a long way to go,” said the Leeds boss.
“We have to give some value to the current position but in a league like the Championship it is match by match.
“When you win five matches, it’s good, but it is not just about winning, it’s about how you win.
“It’s not a good idea to give an opinion (on Woodgate) after one game like this but I believe that the players who weren’t there were missed.
“Too many were out of the team to think that this was the real Middlesbrough.”
Leeds were ahead as early as the third minute when Bamford netted his seventh of the season.
The striker saw his first headed effort parried away by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears.
But Pablo Hernandez was alert to the loose ball and his cross was perfect for Bamford to head home from close range.
It was 2-0 at the break when Bamford’s ball into the area fell kindly for Mateusz Klich whose shot wrong footed Pears after a deflection.
The result was beyond doubt on 67 minutes when Helder Costa bundled his way into the area and fired home before Klich completed the rout with the goal of the game in the 73rd minute, curling home a delightful effort into the top corner from just outside the area. It’s now just one win in 12 for Woodgate, who admitted the difference in class was clear.
He said: “Leeds are a really good team, the best in this league without a doubt.
“The lads kept working as hard as they can but conceding early was a killer.
“It was poor defending. The goal in stoppage time in the first half was also a big turning point.
“I have tried to be positive with the players. I can’t knock the effort.
“Leeds are a top team coached by a top manager.
“They have improved their squad massively, whereas we lost a lot of players and replaced them with younger ones, from lower leagues. It’s difficult.
“But we keep going.”
FORGET about a gap it’s now a chasm as Jurgen Klopp’s men hunt down a long-awaited title.
A rush of blood from Reds keeper Alisson almost threw a spanner into the works, with the Brazil star sent off 14 minutes from time.
Fortunately Kop boss Klopp hadn’t used all his substitutes allowing him to bring on back-up stopper Adrian, although his first piece of action was to pick the ball out of the net after a clever Lewis Dunk free-kick made it 2-1.
Adrian claimed he wasn’t ready, the ball trickling past him although referee Martin Atkinson’s whistle had sounded.
But the 10 men hung on even if it wasn’t pretty, skipper
Jordan Henderson at one stage just hoofing the ball upfield in absolute panic.
Klopp said: “The red card made this a special win.
“We had to bring on a frozen keeper. You imagine in this weather you go on there with a shorts and a really thin shirt.
“When they scored we looked a bit silly at that moment.”
This morning it will be far calmer around these parts as Liverpool sit proudly 11 points clear of the so-called chasing pack.
Klopp said: “We don’t think about the points gap. People say 11 points but it could be eight if Leicester win.
“Results-wise this is really an incredible period.”
No one, though, could have foreseen the anxious finale for the champions-elect.
Having earlier seen Anfield old-boy Jonjo Shelvey lend his side a helping hand with a last-gasp equaliser against title rivals Manchester City, Klopp couldn’t have guessed that the Brighton defence would follow suit.
It was ‘help yourself’ buffet time for Virgil van Dijk, with two easy-as-you-like headers in the space of six first-half minutes.
That ended any hopes the visitors might have had of stopping this sleek moving