Middlesbrough face Everton this weekend at Goodison Park.
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka says Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is a good player but warned his side they can’t just focus on the Belgium international this weekend, the club’s official website report.
Lukaku was heavily tipped to leave the Toffees this summer as the striker seeks Champions League football, yet he was ultimately convinced to stay by new boss Ronald Koeman.
Everton have already shown signs of huge improvement under the former Southampton manager, and last Monday Lukaku helped himself to an 11-minute hat-trick in the 3-0 win at Sunderland.
With Boro set to visit Goodison Park this weekend, Karanka was asked how his side hope to deal with the former Chelsea man but the Spanish coach warned that Lukaku is not Everton’s only threat.
“We had a good test last Saturday with Benteke and we suffered him [Lukaku] last season when we played them in the cup,” Karanka told Boro’s official website.
“We all know what a good player Lukaku is and how important he is for them but we can’t think that it’s just Lukaku. They have really good players and a really good manager so it’s going to be a really tough game.”
Boro have a made a solid start to life back in the Premier League, picking up five points from their four matches including an impressive away victory over rivals Sunderland.
Everton, however, are without doubt the toughest test of Boro’s Premier League credentials thus far and Koeman has made an excellent start to life as manager of the Merseyside club.
The Toffees have picked up 10 points from a possible 12, and in Lukaku they have one of the most feared strikers in the top flight heading in to the game in superb form.
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