Leeds United are under serious pressure ahead of taking on Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side on Tuesday night. The Whites are in desperate need of three points after a run of one win in six, but they will take on a Boro side who are one of the in-form teams of the Championship and are gunning to finish in the top six of the Championship.
Daniel Farke and his Leeds United players are aware that they are on the cusp of ‘blowing’ away their chances of earning automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Sheffield United’s defeat at Oxford United minimised the damage caused by Leeds’ 1-1 draw at Luton, but the Yorkshire giants still need to get back to winning ways to finish in the top two.
However, Boro are in terrific form after winning four of their last six games, and the Teesside club are gunning to get one more big result to consolidate their position in the playoff spots.
But Carrick does not want to read too much into Leeds’ current form.
Not an awful lot wrong with Leeds United – Michael Carrick
The Middlesbrough boss stressed that the Championship is the kind of league where the margins are minimal, and good teams can go through a tough spell without too much being wrong about their game.
He pointed towards Leeds’ record over the last two years and admitted that his team have faced the Whites enough times over the last couple of seasons to know that they remain an incredible side.
“It’s similar to ourselves in many ways”, he said in a press conference when asked about Leeds’ form.
“It’s the league, you can have results, but it doesn’t necessarily mean there is an awful lot wrong, and it’s fine margins at times.
“We are fully expecting their best version. We know what they are capable of; we have played against them enough in the last couple of seasons to know that.
“They have accumulated an incredible points over two seasons to know what they are about. We will expect that and be ready for that.”
Carrick is right, Leeds have been a great Championship team
Leeds are on course to breach the 90-point barrier for the second season running, and it might again be not enough to earn automatic promotion.
They have been incredible over the last two years, and Farke must remind the players how good they have been over the last 20 months or so.
Can you name these 10 former Leeds United players?
Middlesbrough are also the kind of team Leeds love to play against because they go toe-to-toe with the Whites, which opens up gaps for their attackers to have some joy.
It will be a tough game, but a trip to the Riverside could reignite Leeds’ fumbling campaign to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
