Plymouth game is not must-win - Boro boss Carrick

Middlesbrough have finished fourth and eighth in the past two seasons under Michael Carrick

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick said his team's Good Friday match against Plymouth Argyle is "vital" but not a "must-win" match.

Boro have slipped to eighth in the Championship after successive defeats and are now three points outside of the play-off places.

They have four games left, including a potentially decisive game away to Coventry City - the side currently sixth - on the final day of the season on 3 May.

But first they face bottom side Plymouth as Carrick's team attempt to get back to winning ways.

"It's not must-win because things might happen and we might not win and still get to where we want to be," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"But it's that stage where we'll be doing everything we can to get three points."

After a positive run of five wins from seven - their best run of the season - which took them to fifth, losses to Leeds United and Millwall have stalled that progress.

Rather than worry about what permutations would be enough for Boro to reach the top six, Carrick wants to focus all his thoughts on Plymouth.

"Friday is vital for us," he said. "It's one game, it's really important, and then Monday comes around quick.

"After then, we can assess what it looks like."

Morgan Whittaker will come up against his old club for the first time since his January move to Teesside.

The forward is yet to score for Boro in 12 appearances, after scoring 20 for the Pilgrims last season.

However, his boss is not putting him under any extra pressure to break that duck.

"If we're winning games and playing well and Morgan has had a positive influence on the game, I don't mind if he scores or he doesn't score," Carrick said.

"It's about us getting the right result. Over time, Morgan will score a lot of goals for us because that's what he does."