AFTER the fireworks of Anfield came the damp squib of Elland Road this was certainly the other side of the Premiership coin as Leeds and Southampton produced a dire goalless draw.

While the top division can produce the kind of confrontation between Liverpool and Newcastle that had the pundits claiming it to be the best in Europe two days ago, it is this type of bore draw that has our continental cousins shaking their heads in disbelief.

Southampton will never have a better chance to beat Leeds on their own patch - their last success in this part of West Yorkshire came 15 seasons ago - and a win for Graeme Souness team would have lifted them above Nottingham Forest and out of the bottom three.

Souness himself must have sensed that the points were there for the taking, but although his men adopted a more positive approach after a sorry first half, they never looked likely to claim them.

If anything, Leeds were worse. Three wins on the trot had given George Graham's side a sniff of a European place, but although they now have the defensive resolve that their manager loves - nine clean sheets in 11 games after last night - they are sadly lacking at the other end of the field.

There were sporadic goalscoring opportunities at both ends, particularly in the first half, but they came despite a dearth of good football in a game littered with misplaced passes and freekicks.

Mark Taylor came to the visitors early rescue when he raced from his goal to deny Gunnar Halle from a Gary Kelly pass, but the big goalkeeper was lucky that Lee Bowyer was just off target with his attempt with the loose ball from 35 yards.

But a sign of what was to come arrived when Neil Maddison headed wastefully over from close range after being picked out by Matt Le Tissier's freekick.

Mike Evans, making his full debut following his £500,000 move from Plymouth, then wasted two glorious opportunities, firing high on both occasions as his inexperience showed.

The home side replied when Robert Molenaar, whose first goal for Leeds claimed victory over Everton on Saturday, saw his header cleared off the line by Richard Dryden after Taylor had missed a Bowyer corner.

That was as good as it got in the first half - and, if anything, there was even less cohesion after the break, even though Southampton forced the pace on the restart.

Le Tissier, once again at his mysterious worst, fired a freekick straight at Nigel Martyn from a prime position 18 yards out.

His next effort, from longer range, bounced off the chest of Martyn, but the Leeds goalkeeper redeemed himself by hacking the ball clear before Egil Ostenstad could profit.

After that little flurry the visitors went back into their shell and Leeds finished the game with a burst of attacks that were borne of desperation. ...

Their evening was illustrated perfectly when Brian Deane, six yards out, fired across goal and out for a throw in with the Leeds fans in a 25,913 crowd howling with derision.