Marcelo Bielsa’s smile at the final whitle was as bright as the stars in the clear night sky above Teesside. The Leeds manager had not merely seen his second-placed side maintain a decent chink of daylight between themselves and the Championship’s chasing pack but he had proof they can cope without their midfield enforcer Kalvin Phillips after all.
Yet if Leeds, five points clear of third-placed Fulham, are cautiously optimistic about automatic promotion, one of their former players could be heading in the opposite direction. Mateusz Klich’s goal left Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough in deep trouble after a match in which they, creditably, refused to fold but still looked distinctly second best and were mocked with chants of “going down” from the 4,500 away fans.