Grant Leadbitter becomes the first player in the referee's notebook after a heavy challenge on Samuel Saiz.

The Leeds attacker is then booked too, I think for waving an imaginary yellow card.

Image source, Rex Features

Another Boro corner, but they take it short and Adama Traore floats a deep cross way over everyone's head.

It's an absorbing game with half-chances at both ends, but it's lacking the quality to really light it up so far.

Boro's turn to threaten from a corner. Leeds clear, but Stuart Downing feeds it back into the box where Daniel Ayala attempts an ambitious overhead kick.

He's a central defender and his effort reflected his position.

Leeds have two corners, but Boro's marking is tight and Pontus Jansson can only steer the second cross wide with a stooping header.

Andy White: Boro may well make into the play offs but long term automatic promotion next season should be the aim.

Adama Traore has the beating of everyone. He comes centrally, drifts past Eunan O'Kane before feeding Stuart Downing.

Downing's cross is blocked before the resulting two Boro corners come to nothing, with Ben Gibson heading the second wide.

Image source, Rex Features

Boro give the ball away and Leeds break once more through Samuel Saiz, but Ezgjan Alioski's cross is over-hit for Pierre-Michel Lasogga.

Adama Traore's pace and directness is a real weapon for Boro. He gets past his man and whips over a ball for Patrick Bamford, who can't get meaningful contact on a header.

Leeds break with Ezgjan Alioski, who bundles his way through a challenge on the edge of the box. The ball breaks to Samuel Saiz, who fires way over the bar.

The counter-attack looks the way to go for Leeds though.

Image source, Rex Features

Patrick Bamford gets free in the left channel and shoots, but it's straight at Felix Wiedwald, who saves with his legs.

Boro come again, but Jonny Howson's shot from the edge of the box is scuffed straight at the hesitant Leeds goalkeeper.

Leeds have a target man in the form of Pierre-Michel Lasogga, while Boro very much don't.

Rudy Gestede's broken ankle and Britt Assombalonga's lack of goals of late - only one in his last 16 appearances - means Patrick Bamford is forced to play up front by himself. So far he's struggling to get into the game.

Poor defending from Leeds gives Stuart Downing a clear sight at goal.

Ryan Shotton's cross on the overlap is flapped at by Felix Wiedwald and it goes through to Downing at the back-post where he completely misses it.

In case anyone is wondering how Adama Traore comes to be playing for Middlesbrough after being sent off in the draw with Sunderland last weekend, the Teesside club appealed against his red card and it was rescinded.

Not everyone was happy about that decision. "I don't know how Boro managed it," said Sunderland boss Chris Coleman. Considering his pace, I imagine Leeds left-back Vernon Anita feels the same.

Bizarre kick-off from Boro hands possession and the initiative to Leeds, who come forward through Samuel Saiz and Pierre-Michel Lasogga to win a corner, which ultimately comes to nothing.

A bright start by the away side though.

Middlesbrough are in their typical red strip, while Leeds are in black with white numbering.

Tony Pulis, as ever, is in his baseball cap.

We're under way at the Riverside, with the hosts kicking off right to left.

The aim this season is clear for both Middlesbrough and Leeds: win promotion. Both are traditional 'big' clubs, who would love to make it back to the Premier League.

But with the battle for a top-six Championship place as fierce as ever, will they make it? Including tonight's they have 12 games remaining to do so.

Let me know your thoughts using #bbcefl on Twitter.

It's an unchanged starting XI from the side which beat Brentford 1-0 on Saturday for Leeds, with striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga supported by Samuel Saiz.

Leeds: Wiedwald; Anita, Cooper (c), Jansson, Berardi; O'Kane, Phillips, Alioski, Dallas, Saiz; Lasogga.

Substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Pennington, De Bock, Forshaw, Vieira, Sacko, Ekuban.

Image source, Getty Images

Boro manager Tony Pulis makes one change from the side which drew 3-3 with Sunderland last time out, with former Leeds midfielder Jonny Howson in for striker Britt Assombalonga.

Middlesbrough: Randolph; Shotton, Ayala, Gibson (c), Friend; Besic, Leadbitter, Howson; Traore, Downing, Bamford.

Substitutes: Konstantopoulos, Cranie, Fry, Clayton, Baker, Harrison, Assombalonga.

Image source, Getty Images