CHUBA AKPOM’S goalscoring exploits might have deservedly hogged the headlines this season – but Michael Carrick does not think Cameron Archer is too far behind his team-mate when it comes to finding the back of the net in a Middlesbrough shirt.

Archer scored his tenth goal for the Teessiders last night as he latched onto Matt Crooks’ through ball and beat Luton goalkeeper Ethan Horvath before rolling into an empty net, a hugely impressive return given that he only moved to the Riverside on loan from Aston Villa in January.

His ten Boro goals have come in 18 Championship appearances, meaning he is averaging 0.55 goals a game, while by means of comparison, Akpom has scored 29 goals in 38 appearances this term, an average of 0.76 goals a game.

There is not too much between the two players, and they are both set to be pivotal performers when Middlesbrough negotiate the play-offs next month.

Carrick said: “Cam’s done really great, as we’ve spoken about in the last few weeks. I’m delighted for him, and he knows what we think of him and how much he’s done for us.

“You have to give Matt Crooks a lot of credit for the goal (against Luton) as well because it was a hell of a pass through for the goal.

“Cam is in a good moment right now, and you could see that in how calm and composed he was, and then he did what he does best.”

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Boro were beaten last night as Luton overturned their half-time deficit thanks to a header from Tom Lockyer and a controversial penalty that was won and converted by Carlton Morris.

Nevertheless, with six senior players missing because of injury, and with Akpom and Hayden Hackney both rested on the substitutes’ bench, there were still plenty of positives to emerge from Kenilworth Road.

Jonny Howson proved he is more than capable of slotting in at centre-half if Boro’s injury problems in that area do not clear up ahead of the play-offs, while Dan Barlaser, Alex Mowatt and Isaiah Jones all produced effective performances that can only have enhanced their claims for more regular involvement in the games that remain.

Carrick said: “I definitely think we can take plenty of confidence. I think we can take loads from the game because of the changes we had to make.

“The boys who came in played so well, and I think they feel that and should take a lot of confidence from that.

“With the exception of two (Akpom and Hackney), the changes weren't by choice by any stretch. It was a case of what numbers we were left with. So, we had to make the most of it, and I thought we did really.”