MICHAEL Carrick has again outlined the importance of goalkeeper Zack Steffen to his Middlesbrough side - and says the Manchester City loanee has demonstrated his strength of character in the last week.

A sloppy pass from Steffen cost Boro a goal at Cardiff City last weekend but the keeper responded in style with a fine display between the posts in the win at Sheffield United.

Carrick made a beeline for Steffen immediately after the game to make sure the keeper was aware of his starring role in the most impressive win of the head coach's tenure so far.

"It was the first thing I said to him after the game, ‘A couple of big, big saves for us there’," said Carrick.

"Everybody talks about the performance and how good we were at times, the win and who scored the goals. But I fully understand the importance of Zack, on Wednesday night especially. You can say that’s what he’s there for, which is right, but he certainly stepped up when we needed him."

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Steffen has been criticised by some fans for his distribution but Carrick has explained on a couple of occasions this season just how important the goalkeeper is to the way he wants Boro to play. He might be the last line of Boro's defence but Steffen is also the starting point of attacks.

And Carrick knows his preferred approach requires bravery in possession, with mistakes at times inevitable.

He said: “It does take mental strength to do that. I think for the whole team, I’m asking the boys to play with freedom and express themselves and try different things. So if things don’t quite go to plan then I can’t get on their case and start giving them stick about it.

"That’s what I’m asking them to do and I’m fully behind them with that. All of them. There is ways of doing it. As long as they are trying to do the right things, no problem. Try and if it works, brilliant. If it doesn’t work, learn from it.

"But we can’t get on their case for it because it’s what we want to do and what we’ve got to stick by.

"I’m totally comfortable with it. Yeah, we’ll make the odd mistake or we might give the ball away, or we might try do to something in a positive way that doesn’t come off, but that’s totally fine because if you don’t try then it’s never going to work.

"You’ve got to make things happen and the boys are doing that great at the moment."