How Marcus Tavernier is improving under Neil Warnock amid reported interest from Premier League clubs

While the likes of Hayden Hackney, Isiah Jones and Rumarn Burrell were handed their senior debuts in the third-round FA Cup tie, Tavernier racked up his 100th appearance for the Teessiders in all competitions.

Tavernier made his senior debut just over four years ago in an EFL Cup game against Scunthorpe, before scoring his first league goal for the club against Sunderland just a few months later.

After breaking into the senior set-up at a tender age of 17, it’s easy to forget the playmaker, who has started 19 of Boro’s 22 league games this season, is still only 21.

It is therefore no surprise that a report over the weekend claimed Tavernier was being tracked by a handful of Premier League clubs, including Leicester, Wolves, Everton and Leeds

While it is likely the Boro man will have come onto the radar of several clubs in recent months, it’s unlikely he will want to leave the Riverside given his progression and performances under Neil Warnock.

The Boro boss said he wanted to give Tavernier and Chuba Akpom a rest at Brentford, but admitted afterwards: “Tav wants to play every game so I let them play.”

Tavernier’s main strengths are his movement, energy and desire to get on the ball.

Against Wycombe in Boro’s last league game Tavernier received more passes (21) then any of Boro’s front six players, as the Teessiders tried to break down the Chairboys’ deep backline.

The majority of those balls were played to Tavernier when he was on the right flank, the position he was deployed in at Adams Park, yet the player was also given freedom to drift inside to create play and pose a goal threat.

If there’s one criticism you could attach to Tavernier this season it’s that he hasn’t contributed to enough goals – two goals and three assists in 22 league appearances.

Don’t be surprised if his stats improve over the next few weeks though. Warnock has repeatedly urged his wide players to arrive in the box and pose a goal threat when the ball is on the opposite flank, something which Tavernier wasn’t doing as regularly at the start of the season but did repeatedly at Wycombe.

Warnock has also told Tavernier to take less touches in the final third and shoot more when the opportunity presents itself.

Goals against Millwall and Wycombe clearly show the message is getting through, and the midfielder has now registered two goals and an assist in his last five Championship appearances.

There is still room for improvement of course, and there was a moment during Saturday’s game when Tavernier went through on goal but hesitated, allowing defender Ethan Pinnock to recover. "Why does nobody shoot,” bemoaned a frustrated Warnock on the touchline.

Still, Tavernier appears to be on the right track under his current manager and, despite making 37 league appearances last season, he is now performing on a more consistent basis.

Tavernier will have aspirations of playing in the Premier League and that may be possible at Boro. At 21, the best is yet to come.

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