TERRY VENABLES said that he wanted to see passion and commitment on the pitch as Leeds United attempted to stop the bleeding in a season of discontent. One of the disaffected supporters took him at his word and will now face a public order charge after being arrested for confronting a man whose position looks increasingly untenable. It was another bitter footnote to a seemingly never-ending story of underachievement.

Throw in another season-ending injury for the luckless Michael Bridges, Lee Bowyer’s apparent stamp on Gerardo and a contretemps involving Gary Kelly and Jason Wilcox and it amounted to a calamitous night. If the twelfth defeat of the season proves to be Venables’s farewell it will be the saddest of epitaphs.

That Leeds went out of the Uefa Cup third round after losing this second-leg to Málaga was almost incidental, a mere subplot to the main story that is Venables’s future. “Terry, Terry, time to go,” the chorus of disapproval sang at the end. “I’m not deaf, but I have become used to that,” he said. “It has no effect on me, it’s become a way of life. It’s not pleasant, but I’ve heard it all before.”

The other favoured anthem of the angry was “There’s only one David Batty”. The former England midfield player is still considering legal action after Peter Ridsdale, the chairman, suggested that he is no longer fit to play in the top flight. His ire at being deemed not good enough for a side of splintering factions is understandable.

The irony was that this was an improvement on some of Leeds’s recent performances, but an air of resignation filled the ground and, last night, it felt as if 34,123 people had stopped to rubber-neck at the mangled wreckage of a side that made the Champions League semi-finals only 19 months ago.

The first 15 minutes of this match were an unmitigated disaster for Leeds. Venables had used his programme notes to admire the gallows humour of the fans, but you suspected his tongue was planted firmly in his cheek. He reiterated his surprise at how quickly they had expressed their displeasure with his reign, but even he must have been shocked by the speed shown by one malcontent. Barely eight minutes had elapsed when the supporter left his seat in the West Stand, traditionally the bastion of Leeds’s more sedate supporters, and approached Venables on the touchline. Venables remained impassive in the face of provocation and the fan was escorted away. “I saw some guys holding a young lad, but I was watching the game,” Venables said.

By that point Leeds had already lost Bridges. The 24-year-old striker, who was making only his second start after a two-year absence involving knee and ankle operations and a bout of meningitis, could scarcely believe his misfortune. The diagnosis was a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon. “Whatever we did tonight would have been dampened by his injury,” Venables said. “I’m broken-hearted for that kid.”

Worse was to follow for Leeds. Musampa embarrassed Danny Mills on the right flank, squared the ball to Julio Dely Valdés and he slotted a neat shot inside Paul Robinson’s near post from ten yards.

The cacophony of boos that has become Leeds’s signature tune rang out and the red mist descended on certain white shirts. Bowyer, who has been demob happy in recent weeks as he winds down the clock before his expected exit, showed his ugly side by scything down Gerardo from behind.

Not content with such an unnecessary challenge, Bowyer then appeared to bring his boot down on the midfield player’s head. “I didn’t think he did and I was as close as anyone,” Venables said, but televisions replays should prompt a rethink and Uefa may well wish to add further punishment to the booking that Bowyer received.

Yet just as Leeds looked certain to descend into a chasm of their own making, they drew level. Wilcox swung in a deep cross, Robbie Fowler caressed a neat volley to the far post and Eirik Bakke crashed his close-range effort into the roof of the net.

Málaga tried to kill the game, which became a mish-mash of cynicism and petulance. Bowyer almost put Leeds ahead when he launched himself at Alan Smith’s deft cross, but his header went narrowly wide. But for all their huff and puff, Leeds did not truly look like bringing the house down. Instead, Robinson made a string of fine saves from Gerardo and Darío Silva, and when Kelly shoved Wilcox the desperation was palpable. That turned to outright panic when Dely Valdés added a second goal after turning Jonathan Woodgate inside out. It may be the goal that seals Venables’s fate.

LEEDS UNITED (4-4-2): P Robinson — D Mills, J Woodgate, M Duberry, G Kelly — L Bowyer, P Okon, E Bakke, J Wilcox — A Smith, M Bridges (sub: R Fowler, 9min). Substitutes not used: N Martyn, I Harte, L Radebe, S McPhail, S Johnson, M Kilgallon. Booked: Bowyer, Smith.

MALAGA (4-4-2): P Contreras — Josemi, F Sanz, M Roteta, V Valcarce — Manu (sub: C Sandro, 57), M Romero, Gerardo, Musampa (sub: M Angel, 78) — D Silva, J Dely Valdés (sub: C Oliveira Litos, 90). Substitutes not used: Arnau, R Iznata, I Leko, Koke. Booked: Gerardo, Valcarce, Silva, Sanz.

Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland).

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