Promotion drama surrounding Leeds United is of no interest to the Middlesbrough dressing room, which is hoping for a big game and a big atmosphere on Monday night. The Teesside outfit saw their remote play-off hopes virtually ended in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town last weekend.
The assumption, at least outside the club, is the players now start looking ahead to their summer holidays with nothing to play for in the league table. Jonny Howson, still leading Boro at 35 and 12 years on from his Whites exit, does not believe complacency will now become a factor in the home dressing room.
“We did keep our unbeaten run going [at Ipswich] and we want to keep that going until the end of the season, he told BBC Tees. “It’s something we can be proud of, but we want to finish the season off in the best possible manner.
“Whether as an individual or as a team, you always want to turn up and perform because fans pay their money and come to see a performance and come to see us give effort. That won’t change from my part and I’m pretty sure the rest of the boys will follow suit as well.
“Leeds will be a big game and we want to come away with three points in that. They’re still the kind of games you want to play in. I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere. They’ve obviously got their own aims.
“From our point of view, we don’t just want to throw these final three games away. We want to end them in the best possible manner and keep this unbeaten run going. Hopefully, we can then take that into next season as well.”
Michael Carrick was also making no public concessions about what the final three games may hold for Middlesbrough after falling away from play-off contention. A nine-match unbeaten run is ideal preparation for Daniel Farke’s side, he feels.
