Jon Newsome delivers damning verdict on Leeds United player Max Wober after Daniel Farke decision

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It was only Leeds United’s second clean sheet in their last nine games on Tuesday night as Daniel Farke’s men secured a crucial 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at The Riverside.

Dan James’ second-minute strike after an incisive Leeds United move handed Farke’s men the initiative early on but surprisingly, the scoreline remained the same – largely, thanks to linesman Darren Williams.

Mark Clattenburg has described Williams’ two mistakes as “unforgivable”, with Williams ruling out both Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford’s goals. Not the first time, having do against Coventry City and Millwall.

A 22nd Championship clean sheet of the season for Leeds and Karl Darlow’s first in eight career games against Middlesbrough. But it came even with Pascal Struijk being ruled out for at least this week.

• READ MORE: Patrick Bamford did something more than any of his Leeds teammates last night

Jon Newsome compares Ethan Ampadu and Max Wober

With Struijk out, Farke had to choose a partner for Joe Rodon. Leeds fans actually wanted Max Wober to start, in order to keep Ethan Ampadu in midfield instead of bringing Ilia Gruev into the starting line-up.

But preditably, Farke pushed captain Ampadu back into defence alongside Rodon – recreating the “Welsh Wall”. Newsome told BBC Radio Leeds that Ampadu is much better next to Rodon, than £10m Wober.

“The problem you’ve got is you’ve got no personnel to change it [the midfield] up, with. Rothwell is injured, Struijk is injured so you can’t put Ampadu in there unless you put Wober at centre-back.

“But I’m not having Wober at centre-back. Ampadu, we’ve seen tonight, he’s a leader, a far better partner to Rodon. The two of them playing together is really good,” Newsome said about Ampadu and Wober.

Ampadu the obvious choice but Wober future surely decided

Given Wober’s first minutes in months came at Luton, it was always the obvious choice to put Ampadu alongside Rodon at centre-back. Some are even suggesting Ampadu is better than Struijk in defence.

Farke said before the game it was too soon for both Wober and Bamford to start. But, needs must at this stage and Farke decided to risk midfield solidity by putting Ampadu in ahead of Wober in his position.

Reports earlier this year say Wober is expected to leave Leeds, a transfer that has been coming ever since he left Leeds using Victor Orta’s relegation loan clause to jump ship to Gladbach. Now, it feels inevitable.