Middlesbrough's Ben Doak continues to show why he is wanted in stalemate with Cardiff City

MICHAEL CARRICK insisted “nothing’s changed” regarding Ben Doak’s immediate future at Middlesbrough after the on-loan winger helped earn a point against Cardiff City amid reported interest from the Premier League.

The 19-year-old Scotland international’s wing-play led to him creating the space to deliver the perfect cross for Emmanuel Latte Lath’s 10th goal of the season in the 1-1 draw at the Riverside. Highly-rated Doak, on loan from Liverpool, has been the subject of reported offers from Crystal Palace and Ipswich in the last week which have been rejected by the Reds.

But he was named in the starting line-up by Middlesbrough on Saturday and impressed in spells against the Bluebirds.

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Carrick said: “Nothing’s changed. Loans are loans, that’s how it is. In terms of the situation, it’s exactly where we are.

“He played today, looked dangerous and created a goal. It is what it is. Nothing has changed from our point of view. I’m pretty calm about it.

“He played today, he played well in spells and looked really dangerous. I have no worries about that.

“January can throw up different things. Sometimes you can keep players and sometimes you can lose players or teams come in for your players, that’s just how it is. Everyone is important but we knew the situation when we got into it.”

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Latte Lath’s opener from Doak’s delivery in the 12th minute looked like putting Middlesbrough, sitting fifth, on track for three points.

ATTRACTING INTEREST: Middlesbrough's Ben Doak (left) battles with Cardiff City's Callum O'Dowda at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PAATTRACTING INTEREST: Middlesbrough's Ben Doak (left) battles with Cardiff City's Callum O'Dowda at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA
ATTRACTING INTEREST: Middlesbrough's Ben Doak (left) battles with Cardiff City's Callum O'Dowda at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA

But former Middlesbrough loan man Calum Chambers, who spent a season at the Riverside in 2016-17, curled in an equaliser nine minutes later to level things up.

Middlesbrough could not come up with the required magic in the final third to earn three points.

Carrick said: “I was disappointed we didn’t create openings and trouble the keeper. The boys are trying to do a lot of things. We could be better than we were today.

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“It is a mindset, it’s the players, staff, supporters, everything, we have to look at what is next and create that energy and positivity to see what can be achieved. We tried to tweak things to find that spark and it didn’t happen.”

OPENING UP: Middlesbrough's Emmanuel Latte Lath celebrates against Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PAOPENING UP: Middlesbrough's Emmanuel Latte Lath celebrates against Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA
OPENING UP: Middlesbrough's Emmanuel Latte Lath celebrates against Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA

Cardiff sit 23rd in the Championship and level on points with Hull and Portsmouth above them after a third game without defeat. Rubin Colwill had a chance to win it for Cardiff in the closing stages but he headed wide from a cross.

Bluebirds head coach Omer Riza said: “Every point is important. This is a tough place to come, we managed to contain them with our resilience and deserved a point.

“The boys are showing fighting spirit. We probably need to show a bit more quality in possession and not turn it over, because it allows them to hit us again."

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Middlesbrough: Glover, Dijksteel, Fry, van den Berg, Borges (Engel 84), Barlaser, Hackney, Doak, Azaz (Gilbert 75), Burgzorg (Jones 67), Latte Lath. Unused substitutes: Connor, Clarke, McGree, Hamilton, Edmundson, McCabe.

Cardiff City: Alnwick, Rinomhota, Goutas, Daland, O'Dowda, Siopis, Chambers, Ashford (Bagan 79), Robertson (Ralls 83), Tanner (Willock 65), Colwill (Meite 79). Unused substitutes: Horvath, Kpakio, Ng, Fish, Kanga.

Referee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire).

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