Carrick hails Marcus Forss efforts since change of role

Michael Carrick praised match-winner Marcus Forss for adapting to an unfamiliar role to help Middlesbrough continue their charge up the Championship.

Forss grabbed his fifth goal for Boro since moving from Brentford in the summer to seal a 1-0 win over rivals for a playoff place Millwall at the Riverside.

The 23-year-old created space for himself by brushing Murray Wallace off the ball before firing low and perfectly inside the far corner of George Long’s goal in the 54th minute.

It was a finish from a player renowned more as a striker than someone on the right of a forward line, where Carrick handed him another opportunity.

And the Middlesbrough head coach thinks Forss can take plenty of satisfaction from his goal – having been preferred to Isaiah Jones once more.

Carrick said: “Marcus has been great. The way he has gone about it, with his attitude, and tried something a little bit different has been great.

“It is not brand new to him but it is different. Just because he is playing wide doesn’t mean he can’t get in the box and score goals and he has shown that today.”

Middlesbrough moved up a place to fourth by beating Millwall, courtesy of a seventh win from the last eight league games – a far cry from 21st position when Carrick took charge in October.

He said: “I’m delighted. Not just with the win, but really pleased with the first half and how we controlled it. We didn’t get as many chances as we wanted, but how we pressed and counter-pressed, I thought we were good.

“They put us under pressure a bit late on but the boys defended really well, it’s not easy when there are so many bodies in the box. Sometimes it feels even better when you grind it out.”

Millwall boss Gary Rowett had no complaints about the result, believing there was not much between the two teams.

Rowett even felt Millwall might have had a penalty had Zian Flemming gone down under a challenge from Ryan Giles when there appeared to be contact.

He said: “It was a difficult game. We did a lot of things really well and showed again we are a tough side to play against. What you hope is that one moment goes for you rather than against you.

“They are going to have more possession here, but I don’t think George Long has had loads of saves to make. We had an incredible moment first half when we were four-v-one in the transition, but you feel moments like that are huge at places like this where Michael has them playing really well and their form has been excellent.

“We huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a bit of quality. That has been our season. I am proud of he team today but it is just that little bit of quality we didn’t have.

“You are away from home against a form side in the division, you won’t have lots of opportunities. We have had a few chances. Zian had a moment where if he goes down he gets a penalty.

“Forss has had a great strike, bottom corner and no saving it. it is a division of margins, as you see with the table, and sometimes the margins don’t go your way.”