Neil Warnock thinks Middlesbrough are getting things right after watching a patient display earn three points against Coventry City.
Despite playing 81 minutes without scoring and controlling much of the play, Boro kept plugging away and got the rewards with a 2-0 victory that lifted them up to seventh in the Championship.
Britt Assombalonga’s first of the season arrived when he finished off Sam Morsy’s through pass and deep in stoppage time Djed Spence rounded goalkeeper Marko Marosi to finish the job.
It was a relief for Warnock given he has a shortage of strikers and continues to explore the free agent market in the hope of landing some help.
And he has revealed Chuba Akpom will undergo a precautionary test for coronavirus after withdrawing from the squad through illness earlier in the day.
Warnock said: “That’s Britt when he is confident and the earlier (missed) header is Britt when he’s not confident. I am looking away thinking ‘oh my goodness’. Strikers thrive on goals and I am pleased with that.”
Warnock missed several matches earlier in the season after himself testing positive for Covid-19 and he said: “We don’t know about Akpom. He just didn’t feel very well. With this virus around, we couldn’t take a risk.
“We will do a test for him and make sure it’s not the virus. Cross our fingers. That’s all we can do.
“But I was pleased with a lot tonight. I knew it would be hard, the result on Saturday for Coventry (a 4-0 loss to Blackburn) with the sending-off, you knew they would come and defend in numbers.
“We had most of the chances. You just have to be patient, games you have to win by hook or by crook. We missed a few more chances second half but we deserved it.
“The hardest games are the ones you don’t expect. The Cardiffs, Bristol Citys, take care of themselves. I was really pleased with the attitude, application. I was pleased with everything.”
