Manchester United fan Matt Crooks hails impact of Middlesbrough head coach

Carrick has impressed since taking charge at promotion-chasing Boro.

"It was weird for me. I'd grown up watching him at Old Trafford for a long period of time, so it was weird being coached by him,” Crooks reflected.

"But he has been top drawer with everyone, he's doing a really good job, with Woody (Jonathan Woodgate) and Danksy (Aaron Danks) and Grant (Leadbitter) as well.

"You have to take on everything he says because the career he's had. Maybe sometimes if a manager comes in and hasn't had that level of elite football, sometimes it's, I don't know... but you listen to him a bit more because you know he's done it and been at the very top.

"You just have to extract as much from him as you can. Sometimes in meetings he'll talk about Fergie, but he doesn't like talking about his own career, which is a shame because I'd love to sit and chat to him for ages. But he's very modest in that respect."

Meanwhile, Carrick believes Chuba Akpom’s brilliance got Middlesbrough firing at the Riverside to keep their promotion push on track by beating struggling Blackpool 3-0.

It was an impressive afternoon for the Sky Bet Championship’s leading scorer, with the former Arsenal striker putting Boro on course for another win under Carrick to keep hold of third spot and move to within 10 points of second-placed Sheffield United.

Akpom took his season tally to 17 goals, 16 in the league, with a goal in each half before Paddy McNair added a third with a back-post finish with 20 minutes remaining.

But it was Akpom’s eye for a goal that got Middlesbrough on course for the three points. His excellent right-footed finish, which curled inside the far post in the 32nd minute, was followed by his second just before the hour when he pounced on Riley McGree’s pass.

The 27-year-old sits top of the division’s scoring charts and Carrick wants him to keep going after watching a fifth home league win in a row.