AFTER the dismal defeat to Stoke City a fortnight ago today, much of the talk surrounding Middlesbrough focused on the six-point gap to the bottom three rather than the growing gulf between Boro and the top six.

The gap to the play-offs at that stage was 12 points and any hopes of extending the season beyond 46 games looked to have disappeared.

But that's not how Michael Carrick saw things. He knew a top six finish was a huge ask, clearly. And he knew form would have to be quickly transformed. But he insists Boro never stopped believing.

“We’re still part of it for sure," said Carrick, whose side have closed the gap on the play-offs to just five points with three successive wins. A home win against Blackburn today (3pm) would put more pressure on those above.

"The way this league is, we never gave up on it, to be honest. It’s about winning games, being consistent and putting runs together.

"Everything is in front of us and it’s up to us to play well, get the results and see where we end up. It’s game by game, which I’ve said all along so you’re probably bored of me saying it. But I say it for a reason.

"It’s so unpredictable and you’ve got to live in the moment and be on your game at every opportunity. Step by step we have to take it."

READ MORE:

With Coventry in FA Cup action this weekend, their scheduled game against Hull City has been postponed - giving Boro the chance to move within a point of the Sky Blues and two of the Tigers.

Carrick said: “We don’t think about the other teams too much. We can only control what we do and focus on us. On Tuesday, we were the only game so there was no hiding from the fact it was a chance to make a bit of a jump.

"It’s not something we focus on too much, but it definitely plays a part. It’s ultimately about us picking up enough points between now and the end of the season."

Boro are no strangers to chasing. Last season they were breathing down the neck of Sheffield United in the automatic promotion race and now they're once again looking to maintain the momentum that will concern rivals.

"There are two sides of it, of course ideally we'd like to be at the top of the table with points in the bag, there's no doubt about it," said Carrick.

"I'd much rather be sitting top, but there is something about momentum. I talk a lot about momentum and how that can snowball and be a real positive.

"That's only the case if you keep winning. We're on a small good run and we need to keep going as long as we can."

Today has the look of a big opportunity for Boro. Blackburn have slipped into trouble with just one win since mid-December. They're now just three points above the drop zone and boss John Eustace hasn't yet tasted victory since replacing Jon Dahl Tomasson in the dugout.

Carrick is ignoring all of the above.

He said: “I take their league position with a pinch of salt. Watching them, they are a good team. They haven’t had a run that they would like, but watching their games and results, every game has been tight.

"They’re dangerous, the front three especially, whoever plays, they’re a real threat. The results don’t always tell the whole story, especially in this league. We won’t take anything for granted and we expect it will be a really tough game."

BORO PROBABLE XI: Dieng, Ayling, McNair, van den Berg, Clarke, Engel; Howson, O'Brien; Forss, McGree, Latte Lath