NEVER JUDGE A CLUB by its match-day programme. The collective word “we” almost jumped out of the pages of the Elland Road edition on Saturday; manager, captain and chairman declaring a joint statement that Leeds United would prevail and prosper. What tosh.

A fragmented performance from 11 overpaid and underachieving full international players in the home team mirrored the polarity between management, players and the board that has carried Leeds to the brink of relegation.

Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman who has supervised the departure of six players to raise £52 million for the debt-ridden club, had to watch the second half of this defeat on closed-circuit television after a group of fans vented their feelings verbally near the directors’ box.

Ridsdale, who later said that he retired to a private room because he did not want to be “a distraction”, had appeared on local radio earlier, attempting to distance himself from the club’s decline in fortunes while pointing to Terry Venables, the manager he employed last summer.

Venables, of course, is skilled in dodging flak. But if he has failed in his present position as a coach, there is also a worry about his other vocation of talking a good game as a pundit.

“We deserved a draw,” Venables said. His team did not deserve even their weekly wages, let alone a point. Steve McClaren, the Middlesbrough manager, was aghast at the impertinence. “You saw the game, you write it,” he said in response to the amazing claim.

At least Mark Schwarzer, the Middlesbrough goalkeeper, was sympathetic to the Leeds cause. The Australia No 1 made two awful blunders to allow Mark Viduka, his compatriot, to tap in two goals.

Justice, though, won the day when Massimo Maccarone levelled Viduka’s first with a penalty and Juninho’s 20-yard belter sneaked the lead moments before half-time. The little Brazilian, in only his second full match after a six-month absence with cruciate ligament damage, gave a masterclass in playmaking and was a joy to behold, as was Geremi’s deft chip in the 64th minute that put the issue beyond doubt.

McClaren, who has been tipped as a possible successor to Venables, is dreaming of a top-six finish. Leeds fans dream only of David Batty, the ageing midfield player isolated by Venables. Can it get any worse at Elland Road?

Leeds United (4-3-1-2): P Robinson 5 — D Mills 4, L Radebe 4, T Lucic 4, Raul Bravo 3 — E Bakke 4, P Okon 4, J Wilcox 5 — N Barmby 4 (sub: J Milner, 68min 6) — A Smith 4, M Viduka 4. Substitutes not used: N Martyn, I Harte, J McMaster, M Kilgallon. Booked: Okon, Radebe, Mills. NEXT: Liverpool (a). FORM: LLLWLL

Middlesbrough (4-3-1-2): M Schwarzer 2 — S Parnaby 6 (sub: C Cooper, 41 6), U Ehiogu 5, G Southgate 7, D Murphy 6 — Geremi 7, G Boateng 7, J Greening 7 — Juninho 8 — M Maccarone 7 (sub: M Ricketts, 80), M Christie 6 (sub: S Nemeth, 85) Substitutes not used: B Jones, J-D Job. Booked: Maccarone, Juninho. NEXT: Charlton (h). FORM: WWDWDL

Shots on target: (h) 10 (a) 6. Fouls: (h) 16 (a) 11. Offsides: (h) 4 (a) 6 Viduka 24, 76

Referee: D Elleray 5. Attendance: 39,073