Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick says there is 'plenty to address' after defeat at Swansea City
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Michael Carrick admitted his side got what they deserved as their Championship play-off hopes suffered a knock at Swansea City.
Eom Ji-sung’s first goal in English football gave the hosts a 1-0 victory.
Eom has often had a frustrating time since joining Swansea from South Korean side Gwangju last summer, but the winger marked his 30th appearance with a classy first-half finish.
A third consecutive clean sheet – the first time Swansea have achieved that since April 2024 – ensured a second win in three games under interim boss Alan Sheehan following the departure of Luke Williams.
Middlesbrough had travelled with renewed confidence of muscling into the top six after wins over Stoke and Derby.
Those victories came on the back of seven defeats in eight games and a slide down the table, but Boro’s inability to create much of note in South Wales will alarm manager Michael Carrick as they slipped five points off sixth-placed West Brom.
Carrick said: “We didn’t deserve anything out of the game. We didn’t play well, it’s that simple.
“They were a bit sharper, quicker and more aggressive than us – and we couldn’t get up to speed in the game.
“It wasn’t like us and we’ve got to look at that because it’s not really happened.
“We’ll not move on too quickly because there’s things we need to address. We’ve got to make it a one-off.”
Swansea City: Vigouroux, Key, Cabango, Darling (Delcroix 63), Tymon, Goncalo Franco, O'Brien, Ronald, Cullen (Fulton 81), Eom (Cooper 74), Vipotnik (Bianchini 74). Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Allen, Ginnelly, Christie, Naughton.
Middlesbrough: Travers, Dijksteel, Fry (Howson 79), Borges, Giles (Iling-Junior 46), Morris, Hackney, Forss (Iheanacho 46), Whittaker (Burgzorg 70), Azaz, Conway. Unused substitutes: Glover, Barlaser, Woolston, McCormick, McCabe.
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo (Leicestershire).