At the end of his understandably upbeat post-match press conference at Norwich, Michael Carrick was asked what he said to Matt Crooks when he sent him on in the 90th minute.

"Go and get us the winner," the Boro head coach, replied with a smile.

Substitute Crooks struck with his first touch of the ball to secure a brilliant Boro victory at Carrow Road, the comeback completed after Riley McGree had cancelled out Josh Sargent's opener with a quite stunning strike just after the hour mark.

The goal capped off a brilliant week for McGree, who celebrated a call-up to the Australia squad for the World Cup.

“It’s a special time for him and to score a goal like that in any moment in your career is certainly one you’ll remember," said Carrick of McGree.

The goal was brilliant, the midfielder meeting a bouncing ball and finding the top corner with a bicycle kick.

Carrick said: "It was one of them where the ground falls silent for a second because everyone has almost taken a deep breath to appreciate what they’ve witnessed. It was a hell of a goal. 

"And I’m pleased for him because he’s done a lot of work over the last few games; really good work for the team in terms of his defensive positioning and making things happen for us. To get that goal is really deserved, and then to obviously be going away to a World Cup, what a time for him."

McGree was replaced by Crooks in the final minute of the game, the substitute making an immediate impact when he provided the finishing touch to a brilliant team move down the right involving Isaiah Jones and Chuba Akpom.

Carrick said: "It was a really good goal. To be executed just right: the space, the weight of pass, the timing of the run, the overlap, I just thought it was a really good goal. It's a great time to score."