Neil Warnock's message to Dejan Stojanovic and Aynsley Pears after Marcus Bettinelli makes his Middlesbrough debut at Watford
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Bettinelli, 28, joined Boro on a season-long loan deal from Fulham on Thursday and made his debut during Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Watford.
The Boro stopper, who won promotion from the Championship with Fulham in 2018, didn’t have too much to do but could be heard barking out instructions to his team-mates throughout.
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Hide Ad"It’s been good to see him, I’ve had my eye on him for a few years,” said Warnock when asked about Bettinelli by the Mail after the match.
“He had a great season when he won player of the year a few years ago in the Championship. He’s seen it all and done it all.
“Dejan wasn’t very well today so he was sent home today without training so it was a good job Marcus was with us.”
Warnock was then quizzed on what Bettinelli’s arrival will mean for Stojanovic and Pears.
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Hide Ad“They have to fight for their place,” Warnock replied. “Marcus is an excellent keeper and the gloves are in his hands at the moment and it’s hard to see him being displaced.”
Warnock made three changes to the side which beat Shrewsbury in the Carabao Cup last week, with Paddy McNair replacing Dael Fry in defence.
McNair lined-up alongside Grant Hall and Anfernee Dijksteel in Boro’s three man defence, and when asked about the decision, Warnock said: “The thinking behind that was that Dijksteel was unbelievable, so it was a good decision wasn’t it.”