Michael Carrick certainly wasn’t as complimentary about Leeds United as other opposition managers this season after Middlesbrough’s defeat at Elland Road.
While Carrick did say Leeds are a side with ‘Premier League’ players, he also claimed it was not his place to see whether Daniel Farke‘s team is the best in the Championship.
When you contrast that to what Derby County boss Paul Warne said just days earlier after their defeat at Elland Road, it is night and day.
Having said that, Boro are one of, if not the only visiting side to Leeds this season to have actually given it a go, which certainly made for a better game.
Just six shots across the whole 90 minutes does suggest Leeds had the game under control, though, aside from a 20-minute spell at the beginning of the second half.
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Leeds fans baffled by Carrick comments since Boro defeat
The main takeaway from Carrick’s comments on Tuesday is that he felt his side deserved to take something from the game.
However, several Leeds supporters simply cannot believe that was his assessment of the 90 minutes, with one simply stating he ‘disagrees totally’.
https://x.com/chrispidge18/status/1866615813047738515?s=46&t=FRaS-fRVgCYnP0cEX6L6uQ@runninggeek2 wrote: “Deserved better…….seriously what game was he watching. Admittedly it was two good teams but Boro were never winning that tonight the way we went about them imo but suppose he has to say that.”
@mattcowan86 said: “Strange game. They were undoubtedly the best team we’ve faced and caused us a few problems. However, if that ends 5-1 or 6-1, no one could say it’s unjust with the chances we missed! I don’t think they deserved better!”
@iarmson wrote: “They deserved to lose by 3 or 4. Boro had one dominant period in the match at the start of the 2nd half. Think he’s got his Boro tinted spectacles on if he thinks that.”
Carrick got it wrong, Leeds deserved the win
Though Carrick is quite clearly coming out and saying this to take the pressure off his players after a defeat, the comments are wrong.
Other than the big chance for Ben Doak at 1-1 which Illan Meslier did well to smother, Boro created very little in the way of clear-cut chances.
Leeds also pressed them extremely well at the other end to force them into giving the ball away in dangerous areas, and could’ve easily been more than one ahead at half-time.
It was a thoroughly deserved three points for the Whites and undoubtedly one of the most entertaining matches so far this season.
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