MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren last night warned Carling Cup semi-final opponents Arsenal that his side will prove a tougher proposition that the one beaten 4-0 at the Riverside in August.

Boro lined up a repeat of their last-four duel with the Gunners in the FA Cup two seasons ago with a dramatic sudden-death shoot-out victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane last night.

Boro visit Highbury for the first leg on January 21 with the return leg at the Riverside a week later.

McClaren said: "I'm delighted, but after such a fantastic game and all the emotions that went with it, we're just glad to be in the semi-finals.

"It's Arsenal and that takes me back to the semi-final at Old Trafford a couple of seasons ago. That was a tight affair, we only lost 1-0, and we expect another one.

"We're a lot better than we were when we played them early this season. But we've got to go there in the league before then in January and there are a lot of games to play between now and then.

"We're unbeaten in ten games now and we just have to make sure that run continues.''

Michael Ricketts rescued Boro with an equaliser five minutes from the end of normal time after Darren Anderton had given Spurs a lead in the second minute.

But McClaren said: "We dominatded and we got what we deserved. But for Kasey Keller in their goal, we would have won the game before penalties.

"We beat Everton on penalties in the last round and practising them has paid dividends.

"We had some fantastic chances and Keller pulled off an unbelievable save from Ricketts in the last minute of extra-time that would have been the winner and, he made a tremendous save from Stewart Downing as well.

"Ricketts has got better every game. It's the fittest he's been since he came to the club and it showed because he's just played 120 minutes. He's got mobility, presence and he can finish, as he showed.''

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