OFFICIAL: LEEDS UNITED ARE bankrupt. The bottom side in the Barclaycard Premiership are crippled by losses (six in succession), bereft of hope and can now be declared creatively bankrupt. When Trevor Birch, the chief executive, secured an extension of the “standstill” agreement with the club’s creditors, he cannot have imagined that the players would take the spirit of it so literally. While Middlesbrough played, they stood still.

The game is surely up, the big adventure that once hoisted Leeds towards the heavens has deposited them in the gutter and oblivion — or relegation, certainly — seems bound to follow. While, off the pitch, Birch does his frenetic best to refinance, restructure, to push for more time, the team have almost ceased moving completely, frozen by nerves or numbed by the freefall velocity of their descent.

With 15 matches still to see out in this calamitous season, Leeds are three points adrift at the foot of the table and six shy of safety (over the past 58 days, they have amassed just six points). What lies ahead are fixtures against every team in the top nine positions aside from Newcastle United, including matches away to Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

All of which would not be so bad if there was any suggestion — any at all — that momentum may somehow swing back in their direction. Seven full internationals took to the field on Saturday, one fewer than the Middlesbrough contingent, but the gulf in quality, character and attitude was yawning. Much of Elland Road would have been yawning, too, if the predicament facing the side and their supporters were not so alien to relaxation.

And read through the comments of Eddie Gray, abbreviated here, and attempt to discern any cause for optimism. “We were playing at home,” the caretaker manager said, “but we didn’t create anything and we made mistakes. I expected more. It’s a difficult situation for the players, but they’ve got to show the courage to play. They have to realise that they’re the only people who can do anything about this.

“It’s going to be very difficult for us; it always has been, but games are running out. We’ve got to get on with it. We can’t make excuses. I hoped we could turn things around and pick points up, but it never happened. There’s no magic wand. Players have got to take responsibility — I accept mine for results — which means playing to their ability for the best of the team. Without that, we’re in trouble.”

Make no mistake, Leeds are, indeed, in trouble. In a barren first half, they offered nothing but white flags to match their shirts, with Middlesbrough testing Paul Robinson — if not stinging his fingers quite often enough — through Gaizka Mendieta, Juninho and Boudewijn Zenden. Aside from an Alan Smith header, which pinged above the crossbar, what followed was yet more craven.

This was Middlesbrough’s most bullish victory away from home since August, but while Juninho and Mendieta wove intricate patterns, the effect was akin to dancing around statues. Zenden, whose demeanour has been questionable, has seldom looked more convincing. The Holland winger opened the scoring in the 53th minute, taking a pass from Massimo Maccarone on the left side and shooting low.

Steve McClaren’s substitutions then came to the fore, with Joseph-Desiré Job bearing down on Robinson after reacting smartly to an exquisite dummy from Juninho, taking possession wide and finishing well. Two minutes from time, Robinson was sent off for hauling down Michael Ricketts, who struck his penalty with a peacock’s strut (yes, that Michael Ricketts; another indication of the horror at Leeds).

McClaren could afford to omit Danny Mills, uncomfortable at the prospect of heaping further misery on his parent club, leaving the heartfelt return to Mendieta, whose last visit was with Valencia three years ago in the semifinal of the European Cup. “You can see there is trouble at the club,” he said, “and I’m sure the players are worried about the future, their futures. It’s sad to see how far they have fallen.”

Leeds United (4-4-2): P Robinson 6 — G Kelly 4, M Duberry 4, M Kilgallon 4, I Harte 5 — J Pennant 5, E Bakke 4 (sub: J Morris, 78min), D Matteo 6, S Johnson 3 (sub: M Bridges, 67min 6) — A Smith 6, J Milner 4 (sub: S Carson, 89). Substitutes not used: N Barmby, F Richardson. Booked: Matteo. Sent off: Robinson. NEXT: Aston Villa (a). FORM: LLLLLD

Middlesbrough (4-4-1-1): M Schwarzer 5 — A Davies 5 (sub: S Parnaby, 54 5), C Riggott 7, G Southgate 7, F Queudrue 6 — G Mendieta 7, G Boateng 7, Doriva 7, B Zenden 6 — Juninho 7 (sub: M Ricketts, 85) — M Maccarone 6 (sub: J-D Job, 74). Substitutes not used: B Jones, S Downing. Booked: Queudrue. NEXT: Blackburn Rovers (h). FORM: WDLWLD

Shots on target: (h) 4 (a) 7. Fouls: (h) 14 (a) 6. Offsides: (h) 3 (a) 7

Referee: G Poll 6. Attendance: 35,970