Pulis: Now Keep It Going, Patrick

PATRICK Bamford’s suitability for a central striking role may have been dismissed in the past but the Middlesbrough hitman gave a glimpse of the talent that once saw him crowned Championship Player of the Year as his hat-trick humbled limp Leeds.

- Joseph George

In January, former Riverside boss Aitor Karanka remarked that he didn’t think the former Chelsea man, who hit 19 goals as he fired Boro to the 2014-15 play-off final, could operate as a lone frontman.

Against Leeds on Friday night, Bamford, who has regularly filled in on the left wing of late, was very much his side’s focal point and he struck three times to put Paul Heckingbottom’s visitors to the sword.

“Patrick is such a tremendous talent and it’s important that he maintains that kind of form,” said Boro manager Tony Pulis.

“He played up front at Sunderland [last month] for the last half-hour and got a couple of goals, and he has done the same here.

“Patrick deserves to get the plaudits for his three. He is a tremendous talent and needs to keep it going.