McNair’s versatility may prove to

BORO’S rich wealth of midfield talent indicates there will be a battle royal to win places in the team’s engine room. It will be difficult for any of the six major contenders for the three likely places to establish themselves. There will always be somebody else wanting to take their place – creating hot competition which can only work to the benefit of the team as a whole. If any of the six faces a particularly testing time at the moment then it’s Paddy McNair, who completed a £5m move from Sunderland early in the summer.

McNair was expected to be a regular member of the Boro line-up from the start but was unfortunate to pick up an injury on the eve of the new season.

While he has been battling to make the big breakthrough, McNair has seen Boro bring in further midfield competition in George Saville and Mo Besic.

Saville, who will cost £8m when his loan is converted into a permanent deal, might be expected to eventually force his way in on a regular basis.

Yet not one member of Tony Pulis’s squad is guaranteed his place. The manager doesn’t operate that way.

Even so it must be frustrating for McNair – after two unfulfilled seasons at Sunderland – that he is playing catch-up.

If there’s a major bonus, it’s that McNair has further strings to his bow which give him an advantage over the other Boro midfielders.

The 23-year-old is comfortable wherever he plays. He can operate anywhere along the back line and even in the No.10 role.

McNair played the full 90 minutes at right-back in Northern Ireland’s international against Israel in mid-week, while Irish boss Martin