Carrick’s getting a tune out of his on-song Chuba
MICHAEL CARRICK admitted Chuba Akpom’s brilliant brace was a measure of the Middlesbrough forward’s supreme confidence.
Akpom took his goal tally to 17 this season – and five in six matches – as thirdplaced Boro cut the gap on second-top Sheffield United to 10 points, albeit the Blades have a game in hand.
Centre-back Paddy McNair added a third goal as second-bottom Blackpool’s winless league run stretched to 11 games.
Boro boss Carrick said: “I think it shows Chuba’s confidence. The first was a terrific, individual goal.
“Personally, I liked the second. I thought it was a terrific team goal – the football all the way through the pitch was really good.
“I was delighted with that one, the way it was finished off between Riley McGree and Chuba.’’
New Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy, who began with a 2-1 defeat at Southampton in the FA Cup fourth round, was in charge of his first league game since October 2021 – and the opposition were the same.
Back then, Boro’s 2-0 win at Cardiff inflicted a clubrecord eighth straight loss on the Bluebirds and ended McCarthy’s reign in South Wales.
After yesterday’s setback, McCarthy said: “I learnt a lot about my players. We had a throw-in and threw it backwards and the ball ended up in our net. That really p **** d me off.’’
Boro were desperately close to taking a 10th-minute lead. Ryan Giles’ right-wing free-kick was flicked on by Darragh Lenihan, and keeper Chris Maxwell could only react to touch the ball on to the bar.
Boro had another chance seven minutes later when on-loan Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer got the better of Charlie Goode to turn the ball across goal, where Riley McGree’s effort was pushed away by Maxwell.
But the keeper was no match for the cunning of Akpom, who conjured a goal out of nothing in the 31st minute when he advanced into the penalty area on the left and cut inside to curl a cheeky chip into the far corner.
In the second half Blackpool striker Jerry Yates headed against the bar.
But Boro forged further ahead in the 58th minute when McGree and Akpom cleverly exchanged passes and the Championship’s top scorer tucked home neatly.
Then, 20 minutes from time, Lenihan glanced on Jonny Howson’s right-wing corner and McNair finished at the far post.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Steffen 7; Smith 7, McNair 7, Lenihan 7, Giles 7 (Bola (83) 5); Howson 6 (Mowatt (84) 5), Hackney 6 (Barlaser (63) 5); Forss 6 (Jones (76) 5), Akpom 8, McGree 7; Archer 6
BLACKPOOL: Maxwell 6; Lyons 6, Connolly 5, Goode 5, Nelson 5, Hamilton 6; Bowler 6 (Rogers (71) 5), Trybull 5 (Madine (71) 5), Patino 5 (Dougall (60) 5); Yates 6 (Poveda (81) 5), Lavery 6 (Carey (60) 5)
STAR MAN: Chuba Akpom – The forward’s stunning scoring spree continued with a superbly-executed double.
REF: Tim Robinson 6