Middlesbrough: Jonny Howson facing 2024/25 hurdle on evidence of Swansea City win: View | OneFootball

Boro's evergreen captain witnessed a man of the match display from his central midfield colleague on matchday one.

Middlesbrough captain Jonny Howson may have a hard time winning his starting role back from Aidan Morris this season, after the US international put in a man of the match performance in the Teesside outfit's opening day victory over Swansea City.

22-year-old Morris appeared instantly at home both at the Riverside Stadium, and indeed in the Championship on his competitive debut for Boro during their 1-0 win over the Swans on opening weekend.

Middlesbrough's summer signing was granted a starting opportunity following Howson failing to recover sufficiently enough from a knock sustained during Boro's final pre-season match vs Heerenveen, and he certainly took the most of his chance.

So, after an impressive first competitive showing in Middlesbrough colours for Morris, Boro's evergreen skipper may have a big hurdle to jump in order to retain regular playing time this season.

Aidan Morris has already showed why he was brought to Middlesbrough this summer

For some players, adapting to a new league - especially one such as the Championship - can take some time, whereas for others, they hit the ground running straight away. Morris certainly appears to be the latter.

So impressive was his league debut vs Swansea City, the former Columbus Crew midfielder was presented with the man of the match award at full-time, on an afternoon when a handful of Boro players also held strong claims to that honour.

But, the young American commanded the midfield like he'd been doing it for as long as Howson has been, with the industrious midfielder refusing to allow one slight error to be anything more than a mere slip of the brush in what was otherwise his Middlesbrough masterpiece.

Whether it was driving into the Swansea City box in attack, or tracking back to prevent danger in his own, or simply dropping into a centre-back role at times just to get on the ball and look to make things happen, Morris was at the heart of everything Michael Carrick's side did well on their way to a first opening day win in a decade.

As was the energy and levels of work rate he displayed, it was Morris' continued desire to press and close down that saw him send Isaiah Jones racing clear in added time at the end of the game, despite Boro's winger failing to put the game to bed in what was to that point an excellent display too.

Jonny Howson may have to pass the torch to Aidan Morris earlier than planned

A Middlesbrough career that has seen him make well over 300 appearances for the club, Howson has forged a legacy that will no doubt see him go down as one of Boro's finest captains.

Much change has came and gone since the former Norwich City man made his move to Teesside in 2017, but Howson's presence in the heart of midfield has been one of the few constants.

However, like all things, it has to come to an end at some point, and the taking to life in English football like a duck to water, such has been Morris' start to his Middlesbrough career, may well mean that 2024/25 will be Howson's Boro swansong.

A manager can only hold a certain player back for so long before he simply has to let him take flight, and should Morris continue to perform at a high level through the early stages of the season, dropping him out of the lineup could become something Carrick can ill-afford to do.

Indeed, the US international's arrival at Middlesbrough always had the feeling of being brought in to be Howson's heir apparent, but he is already showing that he's ready to become his successor far earlier than perhaps expected.