Michael Carrick has been urged to change his Middlesbrough starting line-up after the defeat to Sunderland.
It was another frustrating afternoon for Michael Carrick when he took his Boro side to the Stadium of Light.
Middlesbrough lost 1-0 versus Sunderland, meaning Boro’s record of failing to win two games on the spin in Sunderland since 2006 is set to continue for at least one more season.
The Teessiders started the tie fairly well and could have scored the opening goal inside five minutes but Tommy Conway guided his free header onto the bar.
Matt Clarke also missed a big chance and as is becoming a recurring theme this season, Middlesbrough were punished.
Neto Borges was poor against Sunderland and the only goal of the match came down his side.
George Edmundson was forced into a tackle in order to try and stop Patrick Roberts’ cross getting to a Sunderland player.
But the centre-back’s interception fell to Chris Rigg who backheeled the ball into an open net.
Michael Carrick sent ‘dangerous’ Middlesbrough demand after Sunderland
Borges was not the only Boro player to frustrate during Saturday afternoon’s proceedings.
Isaiah Jones has underperformed in several games already this season and was similarly poor against Regis Le Bris’ men.
The winger lacks any sort of end product and should have really helped Boro score inside three minutes when he broke on the counter, but he failed to find any of the three players to his left.
This lack of end product from Jones is nothing new and has now prompted talkSPORT pundit Phil Spencer to call for Carrick to drop Jones in place of Ben Doak, whom he dubbed ‘dangerous’ when posting on X/Twitter.
He wrote: “Ben Doak has to start the next game for Middlesbrough. He’s fast, direct, aggressive and dangerous going forward – everything that we were missing until he was brought on.
“Seems like a proper character too.”
Michael Carrick has easy Ben Doak decision to make
Doak arrived on Teesside on transfer deadline day last month, joining on a season-long loan from Liverpool.
The 18-year-old was not signed in time to face Cardiff City the following day but Doak made his Middlesbrough debut vs Preston last week.
The Scotland international looked sharp in that outing and was even more impressive during his brief cameo versus Sunderland.
The Liverpool loanee does lack senior experience but with Jones playing so badly of late, it should be easy for Carrick to drop the 25-year-old in place of Doak when Boro are next in action.
Middlesbrough host Stoke City on September 28th in their next Championship fixture and a win is now a must after Saturday’s defeat.