Michael Carrick reveals "big gamble" Middlesbrough made in QPR win | OneFootball

The Boro boss has revealed he took a major risk by playing a certain individual in Middlesbrough's 2-1 win over the R's on Tuesday night.

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has revealed Jonny Howson shouldn't have played in the 2-1 win over QPR on Tuesday night.

The Teessiders made it three wins from their last four with a crucial victory at the Riverside Stadium, with Tommy Conway and Anfernee Dijksteel bagging Boro's goals.

A lapse in defensive concentration from a corner enabled Steve Cook to cut the lead in half with 10 minutes to play, setting up a nervy finish at the Riverside Stadium, but Boro hung on to collect a vital bounce back victory following their defeat to Swansea City last weekend.

It was a win that saw Carrick's injury-laden side close in on the play-off places, on a night where Middlesbrough had no fit centre-backs to field.

"He shouldn't have played" - Michael Carrick reveals Jonny Howson gamble v QPR

Having only just returned from a lengthy injury absence in the last week or so, veteran midfielder and club captain Jonny Howson was tasked with filling in at the heart of Boro's defence alongside fellow makeshift centre-back Neto Borges.

Speaking post-match via BBC Tees, Carrick revealed that the 36-year-old shouldn't have played any part in the game, in an ideal world.

He said: "He shouldn't have played, it was a big gamble.

"He's arguably still injured and has barely trained with us. He put himself forward, came and spoke to me and said he'd give me everything he can.

"His performance sums him up."

Jonny Howson return could prove vital in Middlesbrough's play-off push

Having arrived from Norwich City in the summer of 2017, Howson has established himself as a modern-day Middlesbrough legend over the course of what will be his eighth season on Teesside when the curtain falls on the 2024/25 campaign.

Up until this season, the evergreen midfielder had barely missed a game for Boro, with 43 appearances in all competitions being the fewest number of matches he's played over his previous seven seasons as a Middlesbrough player.

However, injuries have crept into his game this year, with the QPR win being just his 13th outing in all competitions so far this term.

But, Tuesday night was an emphatic reminder as to how important a player he still is in Carrick's team, as he put in arguably one of the best individual performances of any Middlesbrough centre-back, natural or unnatural, so far this season.

Therefore, given the fact he's out of contract in the summer, a showing as inspired as that one provided strong evidence to suggest that he may not be ready to ride into the Teesside sunset just yet.