Patrick Bamford on how he became a real team player for Leeds United

The pressure he, along with his high-pressing team-mates, put on the Blues players forced a turnover and elicited a roar from the Elland Road crowd.

It was the kind of lung-bursting effort that is required from a centre-forward playing the lone striker role in Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds side.

It was an example of the tireless work Bamford has put in all season, something Leeds have been able to rely on even when the goals haven’t been flying in from their frontman.

But it is not something his former managers would necessarily recognise as a trademark of the man who started at Nottingham Forest, found himself at Chelsea, went on loan to MK Dons, Derby, Palace, Norwich and Burnley before a permanent move to Boro and subsequent transfer to Elland Road.

“Over the years, I’ve never ever – before I came to Leeds – been referred to as a player who works hard, as weird as that sounds,” said the 26-year-old.

“I’ve never been known as someone who works tirelessly on the pitch.”

That meant the lone striker role was not something he was trusted with, at first.

“I remember when I was first at Middlesbrough on loan, Aitor (Karanka) – who I’m really good friends with – he put me out on the right or sometimes in a two up front because he didn’t think at that stage I was ready to play on my own up front,” said Bamford.

“I had the same kind of thing when Tony Pulis came into Middlesbrough. Gary Monk just didn’t fancy me for whatever reason and when Tony Pulis came in I started off on the left and I was begging him to give me a chance up front and he did.

“That was when I scored the hat-trick against Leeds and I played against Forest as well and didn’t score but it was against Aitor’s team. He came up to me after the game and gave me a big hug and said ‘wow you’re a man now hey?’

“I think that season and working under Pulis helped me a lot, changed the way I approached the game, I realised I had to be a bit more aggressive.”

Playing for Bielsa’s Leeds is a different beast.

It is Bamford’s responsibility to lead the press from the front when Leeds are without the ball and when they do get it, he has to be an outlet, he needs to win battles, be efficient with his first touch and his lay offs and play a full part in the build of attacks, before trying to finish them off.

There is so much more to his role than just scoring goals and the Bielsa system requires the striker and all his team-mates to play their individual part so the collective can succeed.

“Coming into Leeds was totally different again,” he said.

“As much as a striker loves scoring goals and would love to just save your energy, be in the right position and try and score as many as you can, this team we’re in now – yes we’ve got special players like Kalvin who could get in the majority of teams in the Premier League, Ben White who is going to do really well in the future and Pablo who people would say is probably one of the best in the Championship – but the sum of our parts is greater.

“All together we’re a combined unit.”

The aim this season, like last season, is to get promoted. That is the overarching principle and priority for Bamford and his team-mates.

The fact that he works hard has, at times, been a stick with which his critics beat him, because they see it as an excuse that is trotted out when his goal-scoring form dips – which it has, as he freely admits.

But hard work is what his boss demands and if goals alone were what Bielsa seeks from his centre-forward, Bamford would not have started 35 of Leeds’ 37 Championship games this season.

So he’s happy to be known as a striker who puts the work in, for the greater good.

“Without sounding big-headed, there’s a lot the team would miss out on if I just relied on scoring goals myself rather than giving the whole package,” he said.

“Whilst I have missed chances and should probably have five or six more goals than I have, the fact I’m having to give different options to the team, I’m happy doing that.

“Obviously, I want to score and if I can do both it’s the perfect scenario. If we’re winning the structure is perfect.”