Mark Smith

Fri 28 February 2020 17:00, UK

Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth claimed that Leeds United defender Luke Ayling had a torrid time against Middlesbrough’s Hayden Coulson in the 1-0 victory.

Smyth’s colleague, Joe Urquhart shared that after speaking to Ayling after the game, the defender admitted that he struggled with the pace of the Boro youngster.

The 28-year-old agreed that the turn of pace of the winger left him chasing shadows at times at the Riverside Stadium.

Speaking on the YEP’s Leeds United Podcast, Smyth and Urquhart spoke about the troubles of Ayling despite the Whites managing to keep their third-consecutive clean-sheet.

“Coulson, on the left-wing, who has played at left-back but Jonathan Woodgate sees him more as a left-winger, he gave Luke Ayling a torrid time of it,” he said.

Urquhart delved further into the performance of the defender, claiming he spoke about the duel personally after the game.

“Yeah, Luke said that afterwards,” he revealed.

“He was saying that he found it quite difficult because he was quite quick over five-ten yards and he could get a ball out of his feet and whip in a dangerous ball and we saw that a few times.”

It was Mateusz Klich who scored Leeds’ winner, as the Whites once again created more dangerous opportunities at the Riverside.

Looking into Ayling’s individual performance, you can see that he could have been targeted down the right. He may have been beaten for pace a few times, but his numbers remain impressive.

The 28-year-old made seven tackles, as well as completing three interceptions according to WhoScored.

Coulson may have beaten him at times, but Ayling did recover, with WhoScored claiming he was only dribbled past fully once.

It was a busy evening for Ayling, but he has stepped up frequently this season, something we expect to continue at the KCOM Stadium against Hull on Saturday.

In other Leeds United news, Eddie Gray has delivered his verdict on Whites’ promotion hopes in nail-biting prediction