Middlesbrough went temporarily top of the Sky Bet Championship with a solid 2-0 win at home to promotion rivals Derby County in the day's early kickoff. Steve McClaren returned to the Riverside for only the second time since overseeing Boro's most successful period with a Carling Cup win and UEFA Cup Final, while current manager Aitor Karanka was confined to the stands. An early strike from Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford and a Grant Leadbitter penalty in the second half ensured that the visitors left with nothing, having had Ryan Shotton sent off.
With Karanka serving his one-match ban for improper conduct during Boro's one-all draw with Blackburn Rovers two weeks ago and assistant Craig Hignett having recently confirmed his departure from the club, goalkeeping coach Leo Percovich was left in charge of the technical area. However, it did not seem to have an adverse effect on the home side, who were quickly into their rhythm against the league leaders.
With just six minutes played, academy product Adam Reach worked hard to find some space down the left before pulling the ball back for Bamford to sweep left-footed into the far corner. Derby keeper Lee Grant got a touch to the ball but could not stop it creeping in off the foot of the post, much to his own obvious frustration.
Bamford could have had a second not long after having been played through by captain Leadbitter, but his drive from the edge of the area was saved by Grant. Jelle Vossen scored a hat-trick last week at Millwall and looked certain to add another goal here with the rebound, but Grant made a superb reaction save to scramble across and claw the ball away for a corner.
Derby were being starved of chances by a solid Boro rearguard but came closest through Scotland man Johnny Russell, first bending the ball wide from the 25-yard mark, then failing to make the most of a slip-up at the back, shooting tamely at keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos at the end of the half.
Boro were well on top and McClaren looked to respond by evoking his tactics of the 2006 UEFA Cup run, bringing on Jordan Ibe and Leon Best at the break to bring the number of recognised forwards in his line-up to four with Russell and top scorer Chris Martin. Things did not improve for the visitors who seemed devoid of ingenuity up front, bringing on teenage starlet Will Hughes fifteen minutes into the second half.
Despite his introduction, things soon went from bad to worse for the Rams, after Ryan Shotton hauled Bamford down at the edge of the six-yard box. Shotton, who had been booed throughout the match by the home side after some perceived play-acting early on to win a costless kick, was given his marching orders, meaning Russell was at times brought back to play at wing back.
Former Sunderland midfielder Leadbitter has been in superb form this season, and he powered the spot-kick into the bottom left corner to reach double figures in goals for the season.
With Bamford and Vossen both struggling with what looked like cramp having taken something of a kicking from the away defence in the second half, fan favourite Kike and powerful Dutch speedster Yanic Wildschut were brought on for the closing stages as Boro looked to end the game with a third goal.
Grant had made another fine reaction save from a Dani Ayala header before the second goal but was almost left red-faced on more than one occasion as the home forwards closed him down on every occasion he had the ball at his feet. Wildschut left two defenders on their heels as he spun between them at the edge of the area before pulling a threatening ball back, but not for the first time there was nobody attacking the ball into the area.
It was not to prove fatal. Martin had Derby's best chance with a little under five minutes to go but George Friend hacked the ball away before Russell could pounce on the rebound, and the final whistle was met with cheers as the tannoy system confirmed Boro's temporary place at the top of the tree going into the Christmas period.
Speaking after the game, Boro boss Karanka could not overemphasise his glee at his team's dominant performance, "I think it's the best afternoon of my career here," he said. "We played the best team in the league and are in a very good position in the table. It was a very good performance and I want to dedicate the victory to my staff because they are always with me. I could not be on the bench and they were brilliant once again."
Meanwhile, McClaren praised his old team but was clearly disappointed in his own side's performance, saying: "Our performance was not the usual standard; it was poor. We talked all week about how organised this Middlesbrough side is."
He continued, "Normally we are around 80% in pass completion but I think today the figure will be nearer 50%. Credit to Middlesbrough. Once they scored the first goal, they got their tails up and deserved to win."