'Just one of those days' - Daryl Dike trips up Middlesbrough in their pursuit of Sheffield United

Boro have swept all before them in moving to within four points of the automatic promotion places, but they fell behind early at the Hawthorns and had no answer.

USA international Daryl Dike found the net in the eighth minute when teed up by Jed Wallace, and two minutes later John Swift was the provider.

Boro, who had been in rampant goalscoring form prior to this, were comparably modest in the final third and they now find themselves seven points behind the Blades.

“It’s frustrating and disappointing because we don’t like losing games. It was one of those games in the end,” Carrick said.

“We actually started well for six or seven minutes, looked good on the ball and composed. But we then give away two soft goals in quick succession and that’s the difference. That puts you on the back foot because there is a long way to get back into the game.

“Even then, I believed we could get back into the game, but they defended very well with those goals to hang onto.

“I can’t fault the boys for their efforts and attitude and the way they went about it. It was just one of those days that we have to learn from and be better next time.”

West Brom: Griffiths, Furlong, O'Shea, Pieters (Ajayi 87), Townsend, Yokuslu, Molumby (Gardner-Hickman 90), Wallace, Swift (Chalobah 87), Diangana (Albrighton 50), Dike (Thomas-Asante 78). Unused substitutes: Button, Reach.

Middlesbrough: Steffen, Smith, McNair (Fry 57), Lenihan, Giles, Howson, Hackney, Forss (Ramsey 68), Akpom, McGree (Jones 78), Archer (Crooks 78). Unused substitutes: Barlaser, Roberts, Bola.

Referee: D Bond (Lancashire).