Ashley Fletcher insists Middlesbrough's confidence is growing despite "underdog" tag ahead of Leeds United showdown

Ashley Fletcher admits Middlesbrough will head to Elland Road as “underdogs” but believes they have shown this season they are capable of a positive result.

Jonathan Woodgate’s side make the trip to LS11 off the back of a draw with Hull City and a victory over Barnsley at the Riverside in recent days.

The Teessiders, though, have endured a difficult campaign so far having picked up just 17 points from 18 games which has left them just outside the relegation places.

Forward Fletcher is hoping that two positive results in league action will have restored confidence ahead of a tricky away day in West Yorkshire this weekend.

“Hopefully, it can be a turning point in our season,” Fletcher said.

“We can go into the Leeds game full of confidence after showing both sides of our game in the last two games.

“We will go into it as underdogs, but we will just focus on ourselves and we showed in the Hull game that we can pass any side off the pitch and create chances for me, Britt (Assombalonga), Tav (Marcus Tavernier) and Paddy McNair.”

Fletcher is also hoping that his newfound chemistry with fellow striker Britt Assombalonga can help fire Boro away from the drop zone, starting with the showdown against Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

“I love it,” he said of his relationship with his team-mate.

“Me and Britt are good mates off the pitch as well and I am learning from him also. He is a proven striker in this league and I am sure he will go on to play in the Premier League and we complement each other really well.

“You can see that chemistry on the pitch and the goal on Sunday was straight off the training ground.

“Me playing with somebody up front helps me as opposed to being a lone striker.

“I heard people used to say that about Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole back in their Manchester United days that they used to spend a lot of time off the pitch helping each other – and you could see how they were on the pitch.”