Carrick not 'hiding' from Boro's indifferent form

Michael Carrick is now the longest serving manager in the Championship

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick says that he is not "hiding" from his side's poor run of form.

Defeat at Sheffield United means they have won only three of their last 11 league games, picking up 13 points from a possible 33.

It means they have fallen from fifth to ninth and now sit three points outside the play-offs.

"It's never pleasant when you're not getting the results you want, but I'm not hiding from that," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"But it makes you want it even more and drives you on to find the answers."

Losing at Bramall Lane was a third on the spin with defensive issues again to the fore.

They conceded three in a game for the seventh time this season, and that is undermining their attacking potential, as only leaders Leeds United have scored more than Boro's 50 league goals.

Now they are preparing to face another out-of-form side in Watford on Saturday with Carrick searching for the solution.

"It's not nice, but it makes you stronger," he said. "It makes me better in terms of digging a little bit deeper, finding answers and improving myself.

"For sure we need to improve as a group, but I am really convinced that we will."