Middlesbrough 1-3 West Ham United

Andy Carroll has now scored five Premier League goals for West Ham this season

Andy Carroll scored twice to make it back-to-back victories for West Ham in the Premier League, despite Middlesbrough dominating for long spells at the Riverside on Saturday.

The Hammers took the lead inside 10 minutes when Carroll lost his marker to head in a Manuel Lanzini corner.

The hosts hit back with a well-worked move that ended with Cristhian Stuani tapping in Calum Chambers' low cross.

Carroll pounced after Victor Valdes tipped away Michail Antonio's low effort to give West Ham the lead at the break.

Boro threw on January signings Patrick Bamford and Rudy Gestede, but the Hammers added to their lead on the break late on through Jonathan Calleri.

It means Middlesbrough's winless run in the top flight now stretches to five games.

• Relive Middlesbrough v West Ham here

• Catch up on the rest of Saturday's action

Carroll key for Hammers

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic said Carroll had suffered whiplash after scoring an acrobatic overhead kick last week against Crystal Palace but, despite taking a couple of days off training during the week, the powerful centre forward looked sharp at the Riverside.

He only touched the ball twice in the Middlesbrough box in the 67 minutes before he was taken off, but found the net on both occasions - and he has now scored five goals since his return from injury in early December.

With Dimitri Payet left out of Bilic's match-day squad amid rumours he is set to leave London Stadium, Carroll offers the Hammers a very different threat.

The former Newcastle and Liverpool man won 70% of his duels against Boro, only bettered in the West Ham starting XI by captain Mark Noble, and his aerial prowess also proved key to the visitors when defending set-pieces.

Boro unfortunate at home

Patrick Bamford signed for Middlesbrough from Chelsea last week

Middlesbrough's struggles in front of goal have been well documented this season, and they headed into the game having scored the fewest in the top four leagues apart from Oldham.

But Aitor Karanka's side can feel aggrieved at not taking something from this one. They enjoyed over 60% possession and delivered 27 crosses to West Ham's eight from open play - only capitalising on one of those.

Karanka has bolstered his squad's attacking threat with the January signings of Bamford and Gestede, the former scoring 17 goals during his last spell at the Riverside in the Championship, but neither had time to have an impact on the game.

It was winger Adama Traore who proved the biggest nuisance for West Ham, first down the right-hand side with the on-loan Chambers and then on the left when he linked up with George Friend.

Karanka said after the game the 20-year-old has "an amazing future", but he will surely hope to keep him for at least another transfer window as Boro look to avoid relegation.

Man of the match - Calum Chambers (Middlesbrough)

Chambers, on loan from Arsenal, excelled from right-back for the hosts, getting forward and delivering 10 crosses including the assist for Cristhian Stuani's goal. He also enjoyed a 97.7% passing accuracy rate, better than any other player.

'Carroll loves it' - manager reaction

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka: "As a manager I cannot be more proud of my players than I am now. They have done every single thing. We win as a team, lose as a team. We have to work on the last 10, 15 minutes."

On whether keeper Victor Valdes was at fault for Andy Carroll's second goal: "Victor Valdes is having an amazing season, helping us a lot.

"He is one of the best keepers in the world and us as a club have to be proud to have players like him."

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "It was a good week for us after Palace, the confidence we played with, and we used that momentum to come here and put out a strong performance and get three massive points."

On Carroll's goalscoring form: "Week in, week out he is a brilliant player. Not only goals, he makes an impact with his presence. His work rate is quality and he is unbeatable in the box. It is very hard to stop him.

"He loves it. He gives you everything. Hopefully he is going to stay fit."

Boro struggling for wins - match stats

• Andy Carroll scored in successive Premier League games for the first time since April.

• Carroll scored more than once in a Premier League away game for the first time.

• Of Carroll's 48 Premier League goals, 23 have been from headers (48%).

• West Ham have won five of their past seven Premier League fixtures, as many as they had in their previous 19.

• Boro have won only one of their past eight Premier League matches (five defeats).

What next?

Middlesbrough host Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup fourth round next Saturday (15;00 GMT), before welcoming West Brom in the Premier League the following Tuesday (19:45).

West Ham are at home against Manchester City in the Premier League on 1 February (19:45), having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Pep Guardiola's side.