Marcus Tavernier hoping for ‘a little bit of luck’ to get Middlesbrough in play-offs

Just over three years ago, Boro – under the command of Tony Pulis – finished in seventh position, one point behind the side who occupied the final top-six Championship place in Derby County with the Teessiders’ fates going to the final day.

For Boro, again in seventh spot with two games to go in 2021-22, their destiny has a good chance of going to the end of a season once more – unless Sheffield United win at QPR this evening and they fail to beat Stoke City at the Riverside Stadium tomorrow.

Leeds-born Tavernier said: “We talked about that (finishing in the top six) when the manager got appointed and that is what we all wanted and set out to do.

“We have just got to hope we can get into the play-offs. I believe we are performing well enough. But sometimes, you need a little bit more of that and a little bit of luck.”

Tavernier’s crisply struck opener put Boro on their way to a vital 2-0 victory over visiting Cardiff City on Wednesday, with Chris Wilder’s side securing their first win in six matches and ending a run of three successive league losses without scoring a goal at the Riverside.

It was an evening when the result and not the performance was all that matters.

Tavernier, who netted his fourth goal of the season, added: “We put a good performance out there and got the job done.

“The main objective was to win the game, no matter how we played. I thought we played well as well on top of the three points, so it was good to get the two.

“We have to just focus on what we can do and that is the only thing we have got control of. We have to continue putting the performances in to get the three points.”