Michael Carrick shows true class with comments after Leeds win v Middlesbrough
Michael Carrick showed grace in defeat when reflecting on his Middlesbrough side’s 3-1 loss against Leeds United.
The Whites moved to the Championship summit after the victory at Elland Road on Tuesday [10 December] as Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James and Brenden Aaronson secured the three points.
However, Carrick showed his class with his assessment of the match as, relayed by Teesside Live [10 December], the Boro boss offered no excuses for the defeat despite claims his side were wrongly denied a penalty on the night.
He said: “You have to feed off the disappointment and not just accept it. They’re a Premier League set-up really.
“We’ll move on quickly but the disappointment shows where we’re at. There’s disappointment in the dressing room but we know what we’re capable of doing.
“You can come here and look at their team and recent history and accept it and move on, but disappointment is a good thing. It shows where we’re at and we can compete. We have to feed off it and use it as motivation.
“If we were accepting it then we wouldn’t be at the level we’re at and trying to get to. We have to use this for what’s coming around the corner.
“Tonight was another case of that without having enough clear cut chances. There were opportunities to create opportunities we didn’t make the most of. We were certainly right in the game so we’ll take a lot from that.”
Leeds United get job done v Middlesbrough
Daniel Farke continued his tear through the Championship on Tuesday evening, but it could have been a different story at Elland Road.
Joe Rodon brought down Riley McGree in the Leeds penalty area only minutes after Gnonto opened the scoring, and while the decision went the hosts’ way, Middlesbrough would be justified for feeling begrudged that the decision went against them.
The Whites were off it for a large part of the game despite what the scoreline suggests, making it far too easy for Boro to pile on the pressure at Elland Road.
It just wasn’t to be for Carrick’s men, who had to rely on Max Wober putting the ball into the back of his own net to get on the scoresheet in the contest.
Regardless, Leeds have shown their title credentials once again and have moved above Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United to lead the Championship for the time being.
Chris Wilder’s side travel to The Den to face Millwall on Wednesday [11 December], aiming to reclaim the top spot.
However, it does not matter how Leeds win – just that they do – and Farke has piled the pressure on Sheffield United to maintain the pace in what is proving to be a fiercely contested race at the top of the Championship table.
In other Leeds news, Neil Redfearn blasts Brenden Aaronson after a shock moment in for the Whites against Middlesbrough.
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