MICHAEL Carrick insists the mood in the Middlesbrough dressing room remains positive despite the winless start to the Championship season, and he senses an "inner belief" that gives him confidence results will soon improve for his struggling side.

Carrick admits, however, that this current run is testing the character of his players, and says: "The key is how you deal with it and how you overcome it."

Boro's 2-1 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday extended the winless start to the season to six games, with Carrick's side heading for Hillsborough tomorrow to face a Sheffield Wednesday side that are also still looking for their first victory.

Boro have lost their last three Championship games, but Carrick insists heads haven't dropped in the dressing room.

“The mood is good in general," he said.

"Obviously the feeling in the dressing room at the end of a game like Saturday is quiet and the boys are disappointed because we want to win games. But it’s not a horrible place to be, by any stretch.

" I think there is a spirit and an inner-belief in the group that I know is there, and that I can see is still there. But when you’re taking hits, of course that does test you.

"In some ways, we’ve got to see it as a really good challenge. It’s easy when we’re winning games and people are telling me I’m fantastic and the players are fantastic and everything is rosy. But often you learn quite a lot about yourself and other people when you’re having a bit of a tough time. I always knew at some point it would come. The challenge is there for all of us and we have to embrace it."

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Boro have problems to overcome at both ends of the pitch. They've conceded 13 goals in just six games and have only managed to score four. Emmanuel Latte Lath spurned two glorious second half chances at Ewood Park on Saturday but he's not the only guilty party. Across the board, Boro need more goals from their forward players, and Carrick insists he has faith in his attackers.

He said: “I’m confident goals will come from all of our forward players. I think it’s a tough position to be in - they say creating and scoring goals is the hardest part of the game.

"At the moment we’re creating quite a lot of chances. I believe if we keep doing the right things and continue with the right intentions, keep practising, keep working hard and continue thinking positively then I am sure it will turn."