Exclusive: Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick told what he needs to ease “severe pressure” | OneFootball

The Teessiders haven't picked up a single point in their last five league outings with their play-off hopes in tatters

Carlton Palmer believes Middlesbrough FC boss Michael Carrick needs to get results back on track against Stoke City and Derby County to ease the "severe pressure" being put on him by fans and the club chiefs.

Friday night’s 2-1 defeat to Bristol City marked a fifth straight league defeat for Boro, with just three wins from in their 15 league matches since the start of December seeing them slip out of the play-off picture.

The Teessiders are now seven points away from the top six after their most recent reverse, with tomorrow night’s trip to Stoke City giving them their next chance of arresting a horrific run of form.

Having shown plenty of promise during his time in charge at The Riverside, Palmer believes Boro chairman Steve Gibson should stand by Carrick as things get tough, although the next few outings could be crucial in deciding his future in the North East.

Steve Gibson told to show Michael Carrick loyalty as Middlesbrough woes continue

Friday night was just the latest installment in Boro’s horror show of late, with their halftime lead wiped out to make it just three points picked up from the last 21 available, with the mood continuing to sour upon the River Tees.

Two George Earthy goals turned the game in Bristol City’s favour after former Ashton Gate favourite Tommy Conway had opened the scoring for Boro eight minutes before the break, with the visitors dropping into the bottom half of the table as a result.

The powers that be at The Riverside have given Carrick their backing despite their poor run of form, and Palmer believes that allegiance is testament to Gibson’s pragmatic approach in charge of his boyhood side, with nothing falling his side's way of late.

The former England international said: “Another defeat for Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough at the hands of Bristol City has seen the pressure mount on manager Michael Carrick.

“Next up they have got Stoke and Derby, and they are now seven points behind the play-off places, although they do have a game in hand.

“He needs to get a win, he really does, he is under pressure. Steve Gibson is a fantastic chairman and is a great person to work for; he doesn’t panic and doesn’t pull the trigger quickly.

“Michael Carrick has had opportunities and been linked with other jobs and has been very happy to stay at Middlesbrough in the past. It is a difficult period now, but there has to be loyalty from the supporters and loyalty from the chairman, and the chairman is a loyal person, and he won’t pull the trigger.”

Stoke City, Derby County encounters crucial in Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough career

While Boro continue to drop like a stone, all is not lost in the race for the play-offs, as long as they manage to turn a corner in the next couple of weeks and start picking up points on a regular basis.

After being considered certainties for the top six ahead of the festive period, the Teessiders now need to try and arrest their run of form this week, with the trip to Stoke followed up by the hosting of Derby County on Saturday.

With both sides struggling at the bottom of the division, the next few days mark a huge opportunity for Carrick to get his side back to winning ways and make up ground on the teams above them, but any more poor results and the former West Bromwich Albion man will begin to fear for the Boro boss’ job.

He continued: “We all go through these phases, as football players we go through phases where we don’t play particularly well and come out the other side, and as managers you come through these phases and come out the other side.

“The next two games are vital against Stoke and Derby, as they need to get results and get back on track to try and push for the play-offs, so we will wait and see.

“He is under pressure, there is no doubt about that, every manager who doesn’t get results is under pressure. The fact that everyone expected to be in and around the play-offs, and that would have been the expectation at the start of the season, so he is falling a little bit below that.

“Hopefully, they can be patient and he can get a result against Stoke and Derby, but if they don’t then Michael Carrick will be under severe pressure from the supporters and the hierarchy.”