LUFC Tonge - Defeat a wake up call for Leeds

On loan Leeds United midfielder Michael Tonge says the defeat at Derby County will hopefully be a wakeup call and that you cannot take anything for granted in the Championship.

Leeds went into the game at Derby County at the weekend after impressive wins against Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Huddersfield Town.

The run of three straight wins ended at Derby with a 3-1 defeat and Tonge says hopefully it will be a wakeup call.

Speaking on LUTV, Tonge said, "It is a wake up call that you cannot take anything for granted in this league.

"Before we played Crystal Palace, we would have settled for nine points from twelve but after taking nine from nine it was disappointing."

The whites never got going in the first half, although they did go in level at the break after Paul Green equalised on the stroke of half time against his former club after going behind early in the game.

Leeds started the second half more brightly with Ryan Hall going very close to giving Leeds.

They were to rue the miss as Derby went ahead again halfway through the half before scoring again in injury time to wrap up the victory and Tonge says the side didn`t play well "It was the manner of our performance in the first half that was disappointing. We have been playing better than that and we didn`t get off to a good start in the first ten-fifteen minutes.

"It is a reminder of what can happen in this division if you are not at the races from the first whistle," added Tonge.

The on loan midfielder signed for Leeds in September from Stoke City and he has been a regular in the side since his arrival.

He has netted five times in nineteen appearances and it is believed that Leeds boss Neil Warnock is keen to keep the midfielder past the end of his loan.

Tonge is due to return to Stoke after the home game with Middlesbrough on December 22nd.





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