Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock has this warning for ex-Sunderland man as he walks disciplinary tightrope

McNair has four bookings to his name and is just one away from a one-game suspension, however the threshold will rise to 10 cautions after the midweek visit of Luton Town on Wednesday evening.

Boss Warnock is hoping McNair can come through another 90 minutes without picking up a caution given how important he is to the side and limited other options to replace him at the back.

Warnock said: “I speak to him probably every day, and when he’s in, every hour about it, and then every five minutes during games as well!

“There was one on Saturday late on near the dug-out where he could have pulled the lad down but he didn’t. He said he heard me gasp.

“He said, ‘you thought I was going to tackle didn’t you gaffer. I’m alright.’

“We had a laugh about it. I hope we can avoid it again tomorrow.

“You know what I think of Paddy. I was trying to think the other day of a better player I’ve managed than Paddy.

“Whether it’s my memory going, but I can’t remember any.”

McNair has certainly struck up an impressive partnership with fellow centre-back Dael Fry, with Warnock keen not to overload them after a hectic schedule ahead of the festive season.

Warnock said: “When you look at the minutes Dael and Paddy have had, they’re right at the limit really, but we can’t do without them at the minute.

“We haven’t got anybody else so I’ve just told them to be careful.

“They just went in the swimming pool yesterday. And then we’ll do a light warm-up this afternoon before having a little game.

“They’ll want to play in that game because that’s what they’re like. We always have a decent 8/9-a-side game the day before.

“But we also have to work on preparations for Luton too which we haven’t done yet, so it’s finding the happy medium really.

“I know it sounds silly, but I’m telling them to do enough but don’t overdo it when you don’t have to because we have two games that we really need to get them through."

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