Luke Ayling came off the bench to help Middlesbrough complete a brilliant 3-0 away win over his old side Leeds United, in what was the defender’s first return to Elland Road as a player.
Leeds were knocked out of the Carabao Cup after an unconvincing display. A struggling first half was followed by a second-half collapse in which Anfernee Dijksteel, Delano Zurgborg and Josh Coburn scored.
The Whites were made to look incredibly average to Elland Road on Wednesday night, with Leeds rarely looking as though they would score. Junior Firpo missed early on while Georginio Rutter his the post.
Ayling meanwhile, has starred for Boro. The right-back laid on eight assists in his 19 appearances for the Teesside club after joining on loan in January and it saw Boro sign him permanently on a free transfer.
Ayling gets more than he might have bargained for vs Leeds
The defender might have been expecting to make a late run out in front of the Leeds fans, but he was asked to join the fray on 55 minutes with Ayling coming on at centre-back to replace Jonny Howson.
Boro went on to win 3-0 with Leeds producing a dismal performance, matched by the result. For Leeds fans, the highlight might have been seeing Ayling back at Elland Road given the lack of Leeds success.
Ayling of course, was his normal self. On 30 minutes, he exited the dugout to warm-up and his beaming smile was there for all to see as the Leeds fans applauded him, before he gave Pascal Struijk a big hug.
What Ayling did to Rutter during the warm-up before Leeds loss
Joe Donnohue was on match coverage duties for the Yorkshire Evening Post on Wednesday night and he reported on Twitter that Ayling blasted a stray Leeds ball at Rutter in the warm-up with “some venom”.
“Leeds subs passing between each other, ball runs into Boro half. Georginio fetches it but not before Luke Ayling has fired it right back at him with some venom. A pair of cheeky grins and a nice embrace on the halfway line followed, of course.”
So it’s two dismal results for Leeds, the first failing to beat Portsmouth and conceding three goals and then being hammered by Boro. It doesn’t get any easier, with a trip to Carlos Corberan’s West Brom next.
Ayling and Boro meanwhile will be looking to make it three wins from three this season when they go to newly-promoted Derby County on Saturday. A game that will mean more to Ayling than other Boro stars.
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