Middlesbrough make Michael Carrick decision

Michael Carrick remains safe in his job at Middlesbrough as he battles to keep the club’s Championship promotion hopes alive.

The PA news agency understands Boro chairman Steve Gibson still believes the 43-year-old former Manchester United and England midfielder is the man to take the club back into the Premier League. Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Watford at the Riverside Stadium was Boro’s fourth on the trot and they have taken just four points from the last 21 on offer to slip to 11th in the table.

But they are just four points adrift of the top six and the play-off places remain very much up for grabs. Carrick, who was appointed as head coach in October 2022, has guided his side to fourth and eighth-place finishes in the last two seasons.

He presided over a major change in personnel last month when Morgan Whittaker and George Edmundson completed permanent moves and Mark Travers, Ryan Giles, Samuel Iling-Junior and Kelechi Iheanacho joined on loan, while Isaiah Jones, Matt Clarke, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Gilbert left the Riverside.

The current run has sparked rumours Carrick could be sacked, although sources on Teesside have denied suggestions former Nottingham Forest and Leicester boss Steve Cooper and ex-Luton counterpart Rob Edwards have been sounded out about a potential vacancy.

Boro head for top-six rivals Bristol City on Friday before a run of six game against teams who all currently sit in the bottom half of the table.