AITOR’S HAPPY TO GO FOURTH
AITOR KARANKA insists he likes the sound of the play-offs – especially the silence of the Rams.
Middlesbrough’s dull goalless draw with Brighton meant they must settle for a two-legged semi-final against Brentford.
Boro will start red-hot favourites after having done the league double over Mark Warburton’s upstarts. But Karanka is taking nothing for granted, claiming he is happy to seal a fourth-place finish and equally pleased not to be facing big-spending Derby, who missed out after a shock 3-0 home defeat by Reading.
Karanka believes their demise puts Boro’s achievement into perspective, and he said: “It’s a big surprise Derby not getting into the play-offs and it’s good for us.
“It shows how difficult this league is. They spent a lot of money on players in January and I thought they’d finish top. Now they’re on their holidays.”
Despite finishing seven points above the Bees, Karanka says all bets are off ahead of Friday’s trip to Griffin Park.
He said: “The last few performances haven’t been good, and we need to improve. It’s not a worry because promotion is still in our hands, but it’s frustrating.
“At least we have another game at home in the second leg to thank our fans for their backing this season.”
The Championship’s biggest crowd of the season – more than 33,000 – saw a lifeless affair.
Boro missed the cutting edge of 19-goal top scorer Patrick Bamford, who Karanka hopes will recover from an ankle problem in time for Friday.
Brighton keeper Christian Walton denied Kike and Adam Forshaw as Boro pressed for a winner but the visitors were good value for a point.