McManaman hails Boro boss Karanka

Aitor Karanka is well on his way to becoming one of the best managers in the Premier League, according to his ex-Real Madrid teammate Steve McManaman.

Karanka was Jose Mourinho’s assistant manager at Madrid before joining Middlesbrough in 2013, and last year he steered them back into the Premier League.

After a concerning start, Middlesbrough’s form has picked up and away draws at Arsenal and Manchester City have helped the Teeside club into 15th – with just one defeat in five matches.

And McManaman has been impressed with Boro this season and thinks they have a good chance of staying up, thanks to Karanka.

“Of course he can be a top manager. I think he picks and chooses when he knows when to win games,” he said.

LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images

“He knew that he had to go to Arsenal and get a result and he pinpointed in Middlesbrough’s last home game against Bournemouth that they had to win the game and they did.

“Listening to him after they played Everton he said ‘We are not playing in this league, we have got our own little battle to fight’ and he is doing really well.

“Talking about David Moyes or Mike Phelan now, teams that are struggling, and you look at Boro and think they should be okay.

“With the resources they have got and the fact that they have just come up I think he (Karanka) has done remarkably well.”