Neil Maddison has praised one Middlesbrough star after his showing versus Leeds United on Wednesday.
Michael Carrick took his Middlesbrough team to Elland Road in midweek for a League Cup clash with Leeds United.
The Teessiders have a dismal record when playing in North Yorkshire and had not beaten the Whites since 2018.
Boro lost just one of their last 12 league games in 2023/24, with their only defeat coming against Daniel Farke’s side.
However, their struggles against the Peacocks finally ended in midweek when Middlesbrough beat Leeds 3-0.
The North East outfit are now set to take on Stoke City in the second round of the competition as they eye their first trophy since 2004, which was also the League Cup.
A number of Boro stars shone during their historic win over their rivals. Delano Burgzorg earned high praise after scoring against Leeds.
Neil Maddison names Middlesbrough Man of the Match vs Leeds United
Carrick praised Isaiah Jones and Anfernee Dijksteel for their work down Boro’s right flank on Wednesday.
The latter of that duo has also given the Boro boss a selection headache ahead of Middlesbrough versus Derby County this weekend.
Dijksteel was arguably the Teessiders’ best player on the day, scoring the opener and continuously testing Leeds’ backline.
However, speaking on BBC Tees Radio after the match, former Middlesbrough player Neil Maddison gave Matt Clarke his Man of the Match award.
He said: “I’ve gone for Clarke. He just keeps on getting better. I mean he’s a rock at the back, he’s comfortable on the ball, it’s like a magnet to him every time that ball comes into the box, ‘there’s Clarke again, there’s Matt Clarke again’.
“You’re constantly seeing his name when balls are getting delivered into your box and it’s like a magnet he’s just he’s a wonderful player.
“I quite like centre halves like that. No-nonsense centre half. I think he’s improved on the ball as well. I mean the outside of the ball with his left foot past to Isaiah Jones where he puts him through you know, such a pass it was a beautiful waited pass to him.”
Middlesbrough cannot rely on Matt Clarke alone
Clarke joined Middlesbrough from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2022 and he was initially viewed as a squad player, especially after missing most of 2022/23 through injury.
However, the 27-year-old became a key fixture in the side after Dael Fry’s injury last term, forming a great partnership with Rav van den Berg.
Clarke’s excellent form at the back end of 2023/24 has continued into the current campaign but Carrick cannot become overly reliant on the Englishman.
Fry is still yet to fully recover from his aforementioned injury, while Darah Leninhan is dealing with a similar problem.
This means Clarke and Van den Berg are currently the only fit senior centre-backs at Carrick’s disposal.
This cannot continue throughout the 2024/25 season and if Leninhan is going to keep struggling with injury, Boro must sign another centre-back this month.
No centre-halves are being linked at present, but Boro’s promotion hopes could be at risk if Carrick does not solve his defensive injury crisis.