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Leeds were poor and only two defensive howlers gave them any hope in the game.
Mark Schwarzer and George Boateng collided in the box on 24 mins and the ball broke to Mark Viduka who shot in to an empty net.
Boateng atoned for his error on 35 mins, releasing Massimo Maccarone with a ball over the top. The Italian latched on to the pass and bore down on the Leeds goal, only for Lucas Radebe to bring him down leaving referee Elleray no choice but to point to the spot.
Maccarone himself converted the penalty stroking the ball past Paul Robinson to bring Boro level.
Boro were now in full control of the game with Juninho pulling the strings and it was no surprise when the Teessiders took the lead on the stroke of half time.
Jonathan Greening laid a neat ball in to the path of Juninho who drilled a super strike across Robinson in to the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Boro continued to dominate proceedings in the second half with Malcolm Christie, Juninho and Maccarone all causing problems for a beleaguered Leeds back line.
A deserved third came on 64 mins when Geremi produced an exquisite left foot chip to beat Robinson from 25 yards.
There was still time for a late Leeds rally though when Schwarzer spilled a tame James Milner shot and Viduka again turned in the rebound. A nail biting finale followed for Boro but Leeds scarcely deserved anything from the game.
This is only Boro's second Premiership win at Elland Road and will go some way to laying to rest the ghosts of relegation on the same ground in 1997.
Pressure will now mount on Leeds' manager Terry Venables, Riverside messiah only a few short seasons ago, while Boro look forward to a push for Europe in the closing stages of the season.