Middlesbrough 3-4 Leeds: Crysencio Summerville's brace sees the visitors edge a seven-goal thriller at the Riverside and spark new life into their automatic promotion push

Leeds showed both the attacking panache that might deliver them promotion and the vulnerabilities that may yet scupper them in this Championship classic.

Daniel Farke’s team have the capability to destroy most opponents and Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto and Patrick Bamford certainly put Middlesbrough to the sword here.

But they also committed needless errors and switched off defensively too often to keep Boro in contention right until the final whistle.

The upshot of a tempestuous encounter in the swirling Teesside drizzle was a crucial Leeds win that lifts them above Ipswich into second.

The Tractor Boys still have their promotion destiny in their own hands, however, with an extra game at Coventry to play next Tuesday.

All Leeds can do is keep winning and, with Queens Park Rangers to come on Friday night, they could be four points clear of Ipswich by the time the Suffolk club pitch up at Hull 24 hours later.

This win did mean leaders Leicester cannot secure promotion against Southampton tonight.

Especially galling for Leeds’ promotion rivals was that Gnonto’s first-half goal - their third - was scored from an offside position.

But in this VAR-free competition, the celebrations continued uninterrupted.

‘It was a good advertisement for Championship football,’ said Farke. ‘At times we were a bit too wild, but we played with enthusiasm and fire in the hearts.

‘But at times it was a bit naive because it became a basketball game.'

Farke didn’t realise Gnonto’s goal was offside but the German felt ‘no need to apologise’ given the quantity of decisions he perceived to have gone against Leeds this season.

There was something in the air that suggested chaos and so it proved during a gripping first-half.

Middlesbrough drew first blood with Jones reacting quickest to find an unguarded net after Latte Lath, Ilian Meslier and Joe Rodon all collided chasing Finn Azaz’s through pass.

But Leeds weren’t down for too long, with Anfernee Dijksteel always trailing Georginio Rutter as he rushed towards the Boro box.

The little clip duly came, Rutter fell into the area and referee Tony Harrington had no hesitation.

Bamford wanted to take it but ultimately ceded the ball to Summerville, whose penalty was just beyond the reach of Seny Dieng as he dived to his right.

Leeds were ahead a few minutes later and Boro were left questioning why Dieng wasn’t more assertive as Bamford nipped in behind Matt Clarke to meet Junior Firpo’s inviting left-side cross and nudge the ball home.

Boro recovered their composure, with Meslier twice having to deal with Azaz’s dangerous inswinging corners in quick succession.

That suggested a Leeds vulnerability at the back and so it proved when Latte Lath made it 2-2 on the half-hour.

Rutter surrendered possession inside his own half and the ball was worked via Azaz to Latte Lath, whose eventually got a powerful shot off that Meslier’s glove couldn’t keep out.

But Leeds constructed the best move of the half to restore their lead on 39 minutes. Archie Gray found Summerville, whose through ball sprung the offside Gnonto to finish with aplomb.

Bamford forced a one-handed save from Dieng in first-half injury time before Middlesbrough adopted a more patient approach at the start of the second, troubling Leeds with possession and corners.

But that counted for nothing when Summerville scored Leeds’ fourth in stunning fashion. Firpo and Rutter were involved before the Dutchman stepped inside two defenders and picked out the far corner.

Bamford had the ball in the net again only to be denied by a very popular raised offside flag.

Substitute Dan James was challenged by Alex Bangura just as he was about to pull the trigger and that proved crucial when Latte Lath met Alex Gilbert’s searching long ball to loop a header over Meslier.

The final stages were never going to pass quietly and Rodon unconvincingly sent an Azaz cross wide. In stoppage time, Jonny Howson drilled a shot from outside the box that Meslier clutched.

Dieng twice came up for late corners just to ramp up the drama but Leeds clung grimly on for a priceless win.

‘It was an incredible effort right until the end, we threw everything at them,’ said Carrick. ‘The offside goal is a massive decision not just for us but other teams.’