What Neil Warnock said to Marc Bola and the rest of his Middlesbrough team before Fulham draw

Boro went a goal down after 29 minutes when Harry Wilson’s low strike deservingly put the hosts ahead at Craven Cottage.

Yet Warnock’s side hung on and managed to equalise when left-back Bola, who hasn’t featured in pre-season, converted a low effort 13 minutes from time.

When asked about the defender after the game, Warnock told Sky Sports: “I asked him if he’d play 55 minutes today and then I said to the lads forget what I said he’s going to play the whole game but he doesn’t know that yet.

“He did ever so well, he’s had Covid and then he got injured so he’s had a mixed pre-season and to get through 90 minutes like that is excellent.

“It was a cracking goal, I don’t think a striker could have hit that any better.”

On his side’s performance, Warnock added: We’ve got more skill than people think.

“Jonny Howson has hardly had a kick in pre-season and he was tired so it will have done us a world of good today.

“The fans coming down like they did was fantastic and I’m looking forward to the first home game now next week.

“We’ve got a decent squad, not the stars and individuals that your Fulhams and your top clubs have got but we have got a togetherness. Sometimes in football that is more important than having individuals.”

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