Middlesbrough v Birmingham City: Durable manager Neil Warnock praises Middlesbrough’s adaptability

Warnock is hopeful unspecified “niggles” will not add to the his six absentees for today’s Championship visit of Birmingham City. Four are defensive.

So he has supplanted Paddy McNair and Jonny Howson into a back three which has kept three consecutive clean sheets.

“It just shows you how you need players that can adapt to different roles,” said Warnock, who equals Dario Gradi’s English record with his 1,601st league game in charge.

“I’ve always thought Paddy McNair was a class above anyone else when he’s played where he’s playing at the moment. He’s a decent midfielder but I’ve always thought he was class playing at the back so that didn’t bother me.

“Jonny Howson I didn’t want to move because I thought he’s been instrumental in there (midfield) but we’ve had no option. He’s really worked hard in training. The things we’ve had to do with Jonny to try and show him different things, like what’s going to happen to him in the game, he’s revelled in that, same with Lee Peltier and Matt Crooks.

“I’ve never seen him (Howson) fitter than he is at the moment.

“It’s sometimes like that in management. You get thrown a lot and you shuffle the pack and things work out for you. Another time it could have been a disaster.

“It will be nice to get the others back. I was told I’ll have problems. I’d like those problems.”

Anfernee Dijksteel is training again, but Warnock thinks today will come too soon. Fellow defenders Grant Hall, Marc Bola and Dael Fry are not expected back before the international break, and Warnock is resigned to not being without Darnell Fischer and Sammy Ameobi until Christmas.