Middlesbrough's Isaiah Jones has 'jumped up a level'

Jones made a superb start to the campaign with a man of the match display in the victory over Swansea City on Saturday, winning the first half penalty that was scored by Emmanuel Latte Lath and troubling the visitors throughout.

After a difficult campaign on and off the pitch two years ago, Jones re-established himself as a key figure on Teesside last term, playing 35 times - but Carrick believes the 25-year-old is now ready to make the next step.

"Izzy has come back terrifically well," he said.

"He's made a big effort and jumped certainly a level. He's at that age where he's not young anymore, he's experienced, established and is looking to get to the next level.

"I thought he looked really good at times. Again, he'll be disappointed he probably hasn't scored or created another goal but I thought he was good."

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Asked how he's taken his game to the next level and what elements he's improved, Carrick said: "I think it's just natural progression in some ways. There's definitely an eagerness and drive to be better and the way he's training and looking after himself.

"That comes on the training pitch. He's just trying to be as effective as he can and I think we've seen a difference."

For all Jones excelled, there was a final minute glimpse of how the winger is still something of a work in progress when he opted to go for goal himself and had his effort cleared off the line rather than tee up Delano Burgzorg for a tap-in. Ultimately, though, it didn't matter, as Boro saw out the victory, and Carrick was delighted with various aspects of the wideman's display.

He said: "That's the decision making around the box, where he looked dangerous all day.

"He gets himself in terrific positions and then, again, to go to that next level, as a team as well when we're getting those opportunities, it's can we be clinical at times? That's not just Izzy.

"But he was really good, with and without the ball. Him and Luke Ayling down that side with Aidan (Morris) just inside was a really important triangle for us. He was hugely disciplined. There's still more to come from Izzy for sure but it was a really good start."