Michael Carrick has backed Kelechi Iheanacho to build on his first goal for Middlesbrough and boost the push for a Sky Bet Championship play-off place.
Boro moved level on points with sixth-placed West Brom and two points shy of Coventry in fifth after coming from behind to beat Oxford 2-1.
Iheanacho’s strike in the 48th minute, when he powered in Samuel Illing-Junior’s cross, cancelled out Michal Helik’s opener for Oxford seven minutes before the break.
But Iling-Junior, who was a menace throughout on the left for Middlesbrough, delivered another low cross into the area with 10 minutes left for defender Neto Borges to flick a brilliant finish into the net.
That proved enough to earn an important win with just seven matches remaining, turning around a game which had seen Boro booed off at the end of the first half.
And former Leicester forward Iheanacho is up and running, having scored for the first time since moving from Sevilla in January on loan.
Boro boss Carrick said: “He is happy. We are trying to keep the smile off Neto’s face as much as anything! He was delighted too.
“But Kel knows it. He has played at a level, and goals make you feel a bit better, naturally.
“I wasn’t concerned, I knew he would score and hopefully he has got more in him, I am sure he has. It was a massive goal for us.
“I thought it was a bit slow, a bit sticky first half. Credit to them, they started well. They put us under pressure with long balls, long throws, counter attacks, and we were slow.
“I liked how we responded and we spoke about being positive. There is going to be a hell of a lot more ups and downs before the end of the season. We can’t let it affect us. We have to stay positive with it.”
What was frustrating for Oxford was that they had looked worthy of the lead secured by Helik’s opener.
The U’s had already had two fantastic chances but Przemyslaw Placheta was denied by goalkeeper Mark Travers and Matty Phillips scuffed an effort wide of the back post from close range.
Oxford boss Gary Rowett, whose side have only won one of their last 11 games, said: “It was frustrating. We knew it would be a hard game, against a free-flowing team with good forward players regardless of the injuries they have had.
“I thought we had three incredibly big chances as well and when you don’t take them it leaves you a little vulnerable.
“At half-time we had to make a change to our back five, which is never ideal. Sometimes you lose that tiny bit of synergy, but to concede a goal after two minutes of the second half, in the manner we did, is a difficult moment.
“It gives them a lift after there was a little bit of frustration around at half-time. You want that and you want it around longer than two minutes, so that was disappointing.
“What you can’t do is concede two goals to two low crosses and leave someone free in the box and that is the frustration, we should be able to deal with those.”
