How did the players fare in Middlesbrough’s 2-1 defeat to Burnley?


MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1):

6 Steffen: Didn’t do an awful lot wrong and generally used the ball effectively when he had it at his feet

6 Smith: Kept things fairly tight down Boro’s right-hand side and continues to be an important defensive asset

6 McNair: Just about justified his place in the side ahead of Fry, although Barnes proved a handful for all of Boro’s defenders

5 Lenihan: Looked shaky on occasion and got on the wrong side of Tella when the Burnley forward should really have scored in the first half

6 Giles: Delivered some dangerous balls into the Burnley box, although Tella got the better of him on more than one occasion

7 HOWSON: Was the key to getting Boro back on the front foot at the start of the second half – remains as important as ever

5 Hackney: Wasn’t one of his more effective games and he had pretty much run his course by the time he was taken off

6 McGree: Displayed plenty of energy as he returned to the side down Boro’s right, but wasn’t really a factor in the final third

7 Akpom: Claimed his customary goal from the penalty spot, but couldn’t find the target with a stoppage-time header

6 Ramsey: Never stopped running down Boro’s left-hand side, but perhaps lacked the composure needed to unlock the Burnley defence

7 Archer: Was a handful for the Burnley back four, especially in the second half, and did well to win Boro’s spot-kick


Subs:

5 Crooks (for Archer, 69): Wasn’t really a factor in the final 20 minutes of the game

Forss (for Hackney, 77)

(not used): Roberts (gk), Fry, Bola, Mowatt, Barlaser.


BURNLEY (4-2-3-1):

Muric 6; Roberts 8, Al Dakhil 7, Beyer 7, Maatsen 6; Cullen 6, Brownhill 7; Gudmundsson 6 (Cork 79), TELLA 8 (Obafemi 86), Zaroury 6 (Vitinho 55, 5); Barnes 8.

Subs (not used): Peacock-Farrell (gk), Twine, Benson, Ekdal.


Man Of The Match: NATHAN TELLA – The Burnley forward created problems all evening and claimed the assist for Roberts’ winning goal.