WHEN Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick turned to his bench in the second half at Pride Park on Saturday, there was a gulp of concern from Derby chief Paul Warne.

On this occasion, the substitutes couldn't alter the outcome of the game and the Rams held on for their first three points of the season but the depth of Carrick's squad is one of the reasons Warne is backing Boro to be right at the heart of the promotion mix this season.

New signings Michah Hamilton and Tommy Conway were both introduced in the second half at Pride Park and Josh Coburn was thrown on in the dying minutes as Boro desperately chased a leveller.

Dan Barlaser was also called upon, a player Warne knows well having managed the former Newcastle youngster at Rotherham when the now Boro man was the star in the Millers midfield.

"I'm biased but Dan Barlaser can't get in the team," said Warne.

"If you have him on the bench that's some weapon. I think you can judge how good Middlesbrough's team is by their bench. You had £4m, £4m, we'll accept £3m for him, it was a joke!

"They're well coached, it seems like a really good culture and football club and they have a really good team so I would expect them to be a massive bang your house on top six team."

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Something else struck Warne about Boro's squad when he looked at the teamsheet on Saturday - the age of many of their players.

He said: "I thought they were excellent against Swansea. I went to see them against Leeds and they counter attacking with the pace in their team was frightening.

"I really liked them last year. If they didn't have such an iffy start they'd have been bang in it. They have a nice mix of experience and they have a lot of youth. When I looked at the teamsheet they had I think eight or nine under 25 which is a good thing because they're fearless really.

"I said this to our lads all week, I think they're a definite top six team. As always the teams coming down have real firepower but I really like the way the team plays and I like their signings."