It's another big game today for Boro and it won’t be easy as Leeds have picked up some decent results recently.
They are in good form, but so are Boro and it’s a return to the bread and butter of the Championship after getting knocked out of the FA Cup.
That’s probably not a bad thing - most Boro fans would have preferred promotion to an extended cup run anyway.
Boro went top of the table for the first time in a while after Wednesday’s draw at Birmingham and now they’re there to be shot at.
Coming up against top of the league is something that can incentivise teams and Boro will have to deal with that now.
But it could go the other way and intimidate some teams. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Boro cope with that and how they evolve in the next few games.
When I used to play against Leeds they were a very high-profile team, and they still are. They have a massive fan base and a rich history.
But they are a different team to what they were in the 1970s and 1980s when I played, and the club has been in the doldrums of late.
It’s a big derby but probably not Boro’s biggest. I think the Premier League status of Newcastle and Sunderland means they are the bigger derby games for Boro - but it should still be a great game.
I remember earlier in the season when Leeds beat Boro 1-0 at Elland Road. That was the first time I’d watched Boro under Aitor Karanka and since I’d left the club.
I was very impressed that day and Boro were very unlucky. Albert Adomah’s overhead kick got ruled out and decisions just didn’t go their way.
I’ve heard that Karanka hasn’t beaten Leeds in three attempts, but that means today is a great opportunity to put that right, live in front of the Sky cameras.
Things have changed a lot since then with Boro flying high, and until recently it looked like Leeds were going to be dragged into a relegation battle.
They were in a precarious position near the bottom a few weeks ago, but that’s what happens in the Championship. You could be in mid-table and have a few adverse results, and the next moment you’re right in the middle of the relegation scrap.
But Neil Redfearn has done a good job. I know him a little bit and he’s a Yorkshire lad and he’ll be desperate to turn things around.
Leeds are probably a sleeping giant in the Championship - and I’m sure that’s why there’s been a lot of managerial changes down the years there. When results aren’t going your way at a club like that, things tend to change quickly.
I can remember playing against Leeds for Boro - I scored in a 3-1 defeat down there. It was my second league goal and it came after I scored my first in a 7-2 win over Chelsea the week before.
So I have some positive memories in this fixture and scoring against Leeds was a big marker for me.
I also remember being in the Boro dugout when we last beat Leeds at the Riverside.
Curtis Main scored in a 1-0 win. It seems a while ago, and sometimes you do have teams that you for whatever reason struggle to get results against.
But I don’t think that hoodoo or anything like that will come into play today - I think the past results have been more down to circumstance.
We are coming to the final straight of the promotion race and Boro are in a great place.
If they can continue the same consistency over the next four to six weeks then they will be in a really healthy position.
It would be nice to get promoted with a bit to spare, rather than having to play catch up and sneak in there, so hopefully Boro can continue their recent form with a win this afternoon.
Tomas Mejias will start his first league game since August this afternoon due to Dimi Konstantopoulos’ suspension.
There will be a bit of pressure on the goalkeeper, but he performed really well in the FA Cup against Man City and Arsenal.
Especially against Man City, he was superb in that first period and was probably Boro’s best performer on the day.
Then last weekend at Arsenal the scoreline could have been much bigger had he not pulled off a few big saves.
So he’ll be coming in with plenty of confidence and I’m sure he’ll look forward to the challenge of putting pressure on Dimi and trying to establish himself as the No 1.
He was brought to Boro to be the first choice goalkeeper and unfortunately for him it hasn’t happened after a couple of shaky games at the start of the season.
But after the FA Cup displays he’ll come into the game in a positive frame of mind.
I suppose playing in his first game back at the Riverside will bring a bit of extra pressure, but I’m sure he’ll cope with that and won’t let the team down.
Dimi will be disappointed not to play in such a big game but will have to sit out and serve his suspension, so now it’s up to Mejias to impress and put pressure on him and give Karanka a decision to make against Bolton on Tuesday.
I wish Emmanuel Ledesma all the best during his loan spell at Brighton.
We brought him to Boro from Walsall and on some days he looked really, really good.
He could be a bit erratic with his form but he is a really talented player.
It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t fitted in under Karanka but every manager has their own views on players and has their own systems.
Brighton is a great move for Emmanuel and I’m sure he’ll want to impress and make something happen from that.
From my dealings with him at Boro, he was always a really infectious lad, a team player who was always smiling on the training ground.
He’s a hard-working professional and has that South American work ethic. He was a good, technical footballer who could do something out of nothing.
He always tried to pull off something special, and sometimes it would work, and other times it didn’t.
But I genuinely hope the Brighton move is a good one for him.
It was also interesting to see that Seb Hines looks set to move to America and sign for Orlando City.
It’s disappointing that Seb, an Academy graduate, could be leaving the club but he has struggled to establish himself and nail down a consistent run of games.
He’s had a tough time with injuries at Boro, but whenever he did play he was always dependable, and I’m sure he’ll do well over there.
Despite a couple of players leaving, I don’t think Boro have an eye on next season.
At this stage of the season it would be foolish to start planning for the Premier League.
I’m sure there’s some plans that are being formulated for next season, but I don’t think Emmanuel and Seb leaving are because of that.
Players come and go at football clubs, that’s the nature of the game and I’m sure Boro aren’t taking anything for granted yet.
They’ve got two home games against Leeds and Bolton, and two wins would hopefully put some distance between Boro and the promotion pack.
That would be great and I’m sure it would give everyone a great deal of confidence, but Boro can’t be complacent.
They are top of the league and in a position of strength - and if Boro can keep winning then it puts the pressure on everyone else to keep up.
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