'Going ahead is positive, but we need to hold on to leads'

Michael Carrick watched his team throw away a lead for the eighth time this season at Bristol City

Michael Carrick says the fact that his Middlesbrough team have gone ahead in 19 games this season, but only gone on to win 11 of them, is still a positive.

The Boro boss, preparing for Tuesday's trip to Stoke City, preferred the 'glass half-full' view when presented with that stat in an interview with BBC Radio Tees, after they let a lead slip to lose at Bristol City on Friday.

"There are two sides to that," he said. "Having that go in our favour is a real positive that we can't ignore, and seeing out games, managing games is something we need to get better at.

"That shows we can do it. We can get ourselves in really good positions in games, which is very difficult to do, and we've done it regularly. But how we finish games is hugely important and decides the result.

"There's a big balance there. It feels like there are two extremes, but we're in the middle with the big positive thought of what we can do, and we're going to have to do more of it."

If that is to start in the Potteries, Boro need to end a dismal run of just one away win in the last eight, but Carrick says morale remains high in the camp.

"The group is as solid as ever and it gives you a really good feeling, seeing that and feeling that. But results are the end game, and we need to make the difference in that direction," he added.