MIDDLESBROUGH are literally breathless in pursuit of their first major honour.
Ugo Ehiogu, scorer of the opening goal in Saturday's 2-0 home win over Bolton, reckons this Boro side possess greater potential than the Aston Villa Coca-Cola Cup-winning team he played in with Riverside skipper Gareth Southgate six years ago.
Boro's lung-busting display blew Bolton away. And George Boateng, who strengthend the Villa connection when he joined Boro for £5m this summer, spoke of the energy and enthusiasm that have carried Steve McClaren's men to third in the Premiership.
"We played at such a high tempo on Saturday, we couldn't even breathe,'' said Boateng.
"We couldn't even call out each other's names because of the pace. But we're a young team and we have to learn you can't keep going at that tempo.''
Centre-back Ehiogu registered his sixth Boro goal since a then-club record £8m move from Villa two years ago.
Bryan Robson brought him to Teesside, but only now, under McClaren, can Ehiogu envisage Boro matching the achievements of Villa during Brian Little's reign. Ehiogu said: "At Aston Villa, we had a young, improving team and we were fresh and new to everything.
"It was very similar to this team in a way. We had a lot of pace and I would probably say that the first 11 here is better than the one we had at Villa when we won the League Cup and finished fourth in the Premiership in 1996.
"The team here is still quite young, but there is more potential in this team.
"The team at Villa achieved things. You can't really compare them until we've achieved something.
"We still have to find and maintain that level of consistency, and only when we do that can you say we're a top-six team.
"If we're still in the top six at Christmas, then we will look at what we can achieve.''
Boro have now won their last four games in all competitions, and Ehiogu added: "It's been special in the last few weeks. The balance in the team seems to be about right.
"We have pace and the play has been very good - it's been a joy to watch.
"We didn't take all the chances we had in this game - Massimo Maccarone could have had a hat-trick.
"But it's a sure sign we will score goals when we get them from other areas as we did here with me and Geremi scoring.
"We've got the workrate from the back four and midfield, and even Alen Boksic is chasing back and winning tackles.
"There is a lot of enthusiasm, guile and movement and we're going to cause teams problems.''
Ehiogu headed Boro in front from a Geremi corner. "I got as much as I could on the ball,'' he said. "I saw the keeper get a hand to it and then I heard the roar.
"I thought it must have gone in, but I didn't see it because I was on the ground."
Read more about Middlesbrough here.
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