Michael Carrick on Isaiah Jones lighting up Middlesbrough and why Anfernee Dijksteel should 'dislike' him - plus injury issues after Hull

Jones, who came on as an interval replacement for Marcus Forss with Boro needing a lift and deservedly trailing to Allahyar's opener for the Tigers, produced a vibrant display, rewinding the clock to happier times last season.

Jones set up Hayden Hackney's emphatic leveller, the midfielder's second goal in successive home games and the hosts' third goal, which came from lethal marksman Chuba Akpom with an air of inevitability and he blasted home in clinical fashion to register a ninth goal in successive home league games and take his season's tally to 29.

He became the first second-tier player to score in nine consecutive league matches on home soil since Kevin Phillips in 1997-98 and first at Championship level.

Boro, who visit Luton on Monday, will be all but confirmed of a play-off spot if Blackburn don't beat Preston on Saturday.

Failing that, they will be if West Brom cannot get three points versus Sunderland the following day.

On Jones, Carrick, whose side won for a tenth home game in 12, said: "It's what we all want to see and what he's capable of. I was delighted to see him light up the stadium again and have that spark and get his rewards.

"It was a good spark the other day when he came on and we have definitely seen him back himself around the place and the training ground, which is brilliant.

"We have said how important the squad will be and people playing their part at certain times and he did that and I was really pleased. It's nice to see."

And on Dijksteel, who came on for the injured Tommy Smith at the break, he continued: "Fantasic and I was genuinely pleased for Anf because he's had a tough run in not having a look of game time as Tommy has played so well. He's deserved to play as he's trained well and been there.

"He will have probably not been my biggest fan at times and rightly so. He hasn't showed it, mind you, but he's every right to show his dislike towards me as I have not picked him and he's probably deserved to be picked for the way he has trained and his attitude."

The one downer for Boro, who scored three goals in six scintillating second-half minutes, with Cameron Archer notching their second, were injuries to Forss (ankle) and Smith (rib).

They join Dael Fry, Riley McGree and Aaron Ramsey on the injured list, with the trio not looking 'the greatest', according to Carrick, who is waiting to see if the absence is a matter of days or weeks.

On his side's display, he added: "It (second half) was better than the first, anyway.

"Funnily enough, we started the game pretty well initially and had a couple of chances and looked in good shape and then kind of lost our intensity and I spoke before the game about how good a team they (Hull) are and if you are not quite on it, they will take the ball and hide the ball and play through you. They did that in the first half.

"But we backed ourselves in the second half and were much better and trusted ourselves a bit more and the chances came.”