Clayton: There’s more to come from Stuani and Negredo

Middlesbrough fans had been wondering where the goals would come from following promotion from the Championship – now Adam Clayton believes those questions have been definitively answered by Alvaro Negredo and Cristhian Stuani.

Boro were not the most prolific scorers in the second tier last year as, despite clinching automatic promotion, their goal tally of 63 was only the eighth best.

Jordan Rhodes had also blown hot and cold since his January signing from Blackburn while Stuani managed a modest seven league goals.

However, in his first appearance of the season at the weekend, Uruguay international Stuani netted twice – the first a sumptuous drive from 25 yards – while showing a superb understanding with new signing Negredo.

(Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

And on the evidence of that 2-1 victory over Sunderland, Clayton believes there is every reason to believe that the goals will continue to flow on Teesside.

“It was a great strike from Cristhian,” he said. “It shows you that when we get a chance, and when we get it up to the big man, he’s going to do something with it.

“For the second, Alvaro (Negredo) was very good in the box.

“I think we showed calmness in front of goal. We were clinical when we got the chances, and we saw the game out in the second half.

“We’ve got goals in the side so we’ve always got a chance – we can take heart from that.”