Steve Evans felt his side went "toe-to-toe" with Middlesbrough in Monday evening’s 0-0 draw at Elland Road.

United entered the game as outsiders against the division’s second-placed team but could well have taken all three points had it not been for the heroics of Boro goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos.

Striker Souleymane Doukara was denied on several occasions, notably by a stunning second-half save to somehow claw away his goalbound header, while Boro defender Ritchie De Laet clipped his own crossbar during a first half were United had enjoyed the better of the chances.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men for the final few minutes, Ben Gibson given his marching orders after picking up his second yellow card of the evening, but Boro managed to see out United’s late pressure to ensure the spoils would be shared.

Evans said: "I think I feel unlucky and Aitor Karanka, a good friend of mine, will feel very lucky.

"We've gone toe-to-toe with a terrific team who have lots of resilience and class.

“They had a 10-minute spell in both halves but then it was 75 minutes of Leeds United on top, playing a brand of football we want to play.

"By in my eyes, their goalkeeper’s save from Doukara’s header was the best save I've seen in a long time.

“Everyone in the ground thought it was in, and he made another smart save from Doukara in added time.

"We look at them as big chances, they'll look at the Jordan Rhodes chance which he should put away, but I'm pleased with the players.

"There's no doubt Boro felt we would be the same shape from Forest, and if you look at the first 15 minutes when we battered them, you'd have to say we caught them out a little.

"They are a quality side, they've got a fantastic chairman who backs them and an excellent head coach who I have an excellent relationship with. But I think he knew this was a really difficult game.”