Middlesbrough have turned their season around in the last two games with one player standing out with his displays.
Middlesbrough were predicted a top-two Championship finish before the 2024/25 season got underway.
After losing just one of their last 12 league fixtures in the previous campaign, it is easy to see why big things were expected of Boro.
However, Michael Carrick and co. did not get their season off to the best of starts. A 1-0 win over Swansea City on August 10th did end a run of 10 years without a victory on the opening weekend.
But the Teessiders’ Championship results after picking up those three points at the Riverside Stadium were not great.
Middlesbrough lost 1-0 to Derby County before drawing with recently promoted Portsmouth, losing to Sunderland and being held to a 1-1 draw by Preston North End.
That run left the North East outfit sat 12th in the Championship table prior to the weekend’s action getting underway.
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Michael Carrick has one player to thank for Middlesbrough return to form
Over the last week, however, Middlesbrough’s season has already transformed and looking much brighter.
Ben Doak wowed as Middlesbrough beat Stoke City 2-0 on Saturday afternoon before the Reds secured a second victory in a row for the first time this season on Tuesday.
Hayden Hackney was the standout performer when Middlesbrough beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at The Hawthorns in midweek to send them into the play-off places for the first time in 2024/25.
Now, speaking on The Championship Chat podcast, journalist Geroge Smith has singled out Hackney as the driving force behind Boro’s return to form.
He said: “Hayden Hackney scoring in both games. He’s been the driving force really behind both of these victories.
“His touch map I think in the West Brom game was 105 touches, it was an exceptional performance from him really, really good showing.”
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Middlesbrough could be in danger of losing Hayden Hackney
Smith is not the only person to praise the England U21 international for his displays of late, with Neil Maddison dubbing Hackney ‘outstanding’ after his showing against the Baggies.
But while the 22-year-old’s form is great for Boro right now, they could be in danger of losing the player to a Premier League club in the near future.
Aston Villa were linked with a move for the Redcar-born star on Wednesday and Boro News understands Middlesbrough want to keep Hackney and are not looking to sell him in January.
We understand the midfielder, along with Rav van den Berg, is seen as key to the Teessiders making a proper promotion push in the current campaign.
What the future holds for the academy product beyond 2024/25 though, remains up in the air for the time being.