ONLY three seasons ago, Gaizka Mendieta administered the coup de grace to Leeds' memorable Champions League crusade.

After featuring in the Valencia side that fought a goalless first-leg draw here, the Spaniard scored the goal which sealed a 3-0 semi-final victory over Leeds at La Mestalla.

A rain-lashed Elland Road on Saturday was a far cry from the hothouse atmosphere of the fiesta city, but Mendieta was again an influential figure in a game that produced the same result as Middlesbrough became the latest side to profit from Leeds' spectacular decline.

Although they are still in the bottom half of the table, Boro refuse to accept that European qualification via the Premiership is beyond their reach.

And this ultimately convincing victory - only Manchester United and Arsenal have beaten them in their last 13 League games - has seemingly strengthened that belief.

Mendieta, who joined Boro in August on a season's loan from Lazio ahead of a permanent move to the Riverside this summer, is eager to return to the European stage at the earliest opportunity.

The 29-year-old midfielder said: "We needed the points here. We can still push to get into the UEFA Cup and we must keep trying to the end of the season.

"I am enjoying it here. When Juninho, Bolo Zenden and I play together, we always look for each other and we are able to play well.

"I was out with a virus for two games, but I felt better here than I did in the last game.

"Middlesbrough wanted me for five years, but because of Lazio's financial situation we did a loan, and I will sign automatically for four more years at the end of the season."

Like Lazio, who they famously beat in that enthralling Champions League campaign, Leeds are in dire financial straits and Mendieta said: "It's not just the football part of things here now, there is more to this club than just sport.

"Three years ago I played against Leeds for Valencia and it must be difficult for the players here now. They know the club is struggling and they are worrying about the future of the club and their own futures.

"Of course, when you look at a team like Leeds, who were playing in the semi-finals of the Champions League and are now bottom of the Premier League with many troubles, nobody wants to see a club in that situation.

"They have a good team and you can see they are fighting for each other. They had fantastic players, but they have had to sell a few."

Boro manager Steve McClaren, a boyhood Leeds fan, may feel he had something of a lucky escape when former Riverside coach Terry Venables was chosen ahead of him 18 months ago to succeed David O'Leary.

Since then, the post has become a poisoned chalice; ex-Sunderland boss Peter Reid followed Venables and now Leeds stalwart Eddie Gray is holding the reins as they face the biggest crisis in their history.

This was their sixth successive defeat in League and Cup and they have now gone eight games without a win.

Gray sounded an ominous note when he spoke of the fear factor gripping his youthful side and admitted they won't extricate themselves from the relegation morass if they perform as they did here.

"No disrespect to Middlesbrough, but they're not one of the top teams,'' said Gray. "They played quite well, but we made it very easy for them.

"It's a difficult situation for the players but they have to show the courage to go out and play. You don't get anything if you're frightened of making mistakes.''

Cynics among the Leeds faithful might suggest that the 25 per cent wage deferral the players agreed last week equated to only three-quarter effort from their side.

Leeds created nothing of note in a first-half in which Boro threatened through Mendieta, Juninho and Zenden.

It was Dutchman Zenden, on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season, who made the breakthrough eight minutes after half-time with his third Boro goal.

Massimo Maccarone held the ball up before playing an astute reverse pass behind the defence into the path of Zenden, who swept home first-time past goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Newcastle target Alan Smith saw a shot deflected wide and then headed just over from the resultant corner as Leeds rallied.

But Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer remained mainly untroubled as his side kept pressing for a second goal.

Maccarone ought to have underlined Boro's superiority in the 68th minute when he neatly brought the ball under control and turned, but fired tamely at Robinson.

Six minutes later, the club record £8.15m signing was withdrawn in favour of Joseph-Desire Job and it proved to be the first of two inspired substitutions by McClaren.

Within three minutes of his entrance, Job found himself completely in the clear after Juninho had cleverly jumped over the ball to leave the Leeds defence square and flat-footed.

Job kept his nerve, went round the exposed Robinson and tucked the ball into the far corner of the net from a tight angle to claim his third goal in six games and fourth of the season.

McClaren then brought on Michael Ricketts for Juninho five minutes from time and again there was a three-minute effect.

George Boateng delivered a diagonal ball into the box for Ricketts, who was felled by the leg of Robinson and referee Graham Poll pointed to the spot before raising the red card at the keeper.

Ricketts then handed substitute keeper Scott Carson, 18, an unfortunate League baptism when he sent him the wrong way with a disguised spot-kick to register his third goal this term.

Carson will see more action soon but, as Gray conceded, Robinson's resulting suspension is the least of Leeds' worries.

Resuylt: Leeds United 0 Middlesbrough 3.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.