Last night’s victory for Middlesbrough over Hull City was narrow, but it showed why they are more than prepared for the survival fight.
It has certainly been a mixed season for Middlesbrough so far, with alot of near-misses and agonising defeats to go alongside their triumphs. But under Karanka, they are turning into a side more than capable of churning out results when they need to the most and that is exactly what they did last night.
The tenacity that they showed against Hull in what was essentially a gritty six-pointer says it all. The quality in their squad is one thing, but being able to adapt to the Premier League style of play is what separates you from being nailed on relegation candidates and being an established top flight side.
Middlesbrough’s Antonio Barragan and Middlesbrough’s Marten de Roon celebrate at full time
There is certainly alot of work to do, but one of the important takeaways from Monday Night Football is that they did not panic. They held firm, defended their lead and took the chance they had when it came to them. That is a big attribute to have especially in contrast to other sides around them who have struggled in that regard.
In terms of statistics, last night the team as a whole covered 120.8km throughout the 90 minutes which is more than any other side in a single game this season. If you add that to the fact five players covered seven miles or more, you know you have a squad that are more than ready for the battle ahead.
Middlesbrough’s Gaston Ramirez celebrates scoring their first goal with Adam Clayton and Alvaro Negredo
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