Tees

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Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media before Middlesbrough host Luton Town in the Championship on Saturday (kick-off 12:30 GMT).

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• He said he wants the team to keep building on their attack "in terms of the creating and scoring" after an emphatic 4-1 victory over QPR on Tuesday.

• Left-back Neto Borges is being assessed after illness.

• Ben Doak is "coming through well" but still having his time monitored after lengthy injury spell last season.

• Carrick feels that the good performances from substitutes are "healthy" and is focused on overall team performance.

• It's "good to have Hayden Hackney back" as the midfielder returns from suspension.

• He thinks Luton's performances have "been a lot better" than their results and are improving.

• The Championship table is "tight" but there are "good signs" from the team, however he still feels they still need to improve.

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Middlesbrough's Riley McGree says they had to be 'good in both boxes' in their 4-1 win at QPR.

The victory takes Boro' level on points with sixth placed West Brom ahead of tonight's Championship matches.

"We were clinical and took our chances," McGree told BBC Tees Sport.

"Seny (Dieng) made some good saves and we got some blocks in so we had to be good at both ends.

"At 2-1 I didn't think it would slip away because as a squad we have good character and maturity."

McGree gave Middlesbrough the lead at Loftus Road as they recorded just their second win in their past six matches.

"Momentum changes during games, we surfed a wave and won comprehensively.

"We've got to start consistently winning games and hopefully it's only a matter of time before we get to where we want to be and need to be," added the Australian international.

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Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has emphasised the importance of his squad keeping calm after a disappointing run of three defeats in five Championship matches.

Boro sit 10th in the league, three points outside the play-offs, but a 3-0 defeat at home to Coventry City on Saturday, in which star midfielder Hayden Hackney was sent off for two yellow cards, was a blow.

"We want to win more games - there's no getting away from that," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"In most of the games that we've played, we've been very close - it wasn't long ago since we beat Sheffield United and played really well at Norwich.

"I think the key to it is staying pretty stable and pretty calm.

"One result, one half of a game or a performance shouldn't set the levels of emotion in terms of ups and downs, certainly for the players and the staff.

"We're concentrating on that really - staying level, staying positive and taking that in to the next two games."

Club captain Jonny Howson is likely to deputise in Hackney's absence for Boro's trip to strugglers Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday, while Carrick also said Ben Doak remains a doubt with fatigue.

"That's the squad, that's why it kicks in during the season - you never, ever play the same XI for long periods of time," added Carrick.