Karanka delighted with Boro´s game management

Aitor Karanka was delighted with the way his Middlesbrough team managed the game after taking the lead in Monday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Hull City.

Boro were well deserving of the three points at the Riverside Stadium, which came courtesy of Gaston Ramirez’s headers on the hour mark.

The home side had chances to win by a more comfortable scoreline with Alvaro Negredo wasting a great chance in the opening minutes, and Boro boss Karanka felt his side did more than enough to earn the win.

“We deserved to win, we had a lot of chances and all of the possession. We were confident on the pitch and once we went ahead we had the experience to manage the game,” he told Sky Sports.

“I am really proud of the team. It is difficult to play in the Premier League.”

FULL-TIME | @gasramirez10 scores against his old club to earn #Boro the three points! #UTB pic.twitter.com/69lUB2th3m

— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) December 5, 2016

Ramirez was particularly impressive for Boro, but Karanka – who side are now four points clear of the drop zone in 13th – was keen to credit the collective performance.

“Sometimes Gaston Ramirez will score, sometimes another player but we won promotion to the Premier League by playing as a team and that is how we stay,” he added.

“We have 15 points, we must keep going and working together. We have to fight with the teams in the relegation positions because we are a newly-promoted team. We have done nothing yet.”

Hull offered little going forward, aside from a late rally, but had generally defended well until switching off for Ramirez to nod home from a corner.

Manager Mike Phelan – who revealed Abel Hernandez will miss another three weeks with a hernia problem – rued that lack of concentration and is hopeful of doing business in the January transfer window in a bid to move Hull, who are second bottom, up the table.

| Mike Phelan has just revealed that Abel Hernández will be sidelined for three weeks with a hernia problem #MIDHUL

— Hull City (@HullCity) December 5, 2016

“We tried to drag something out of it but it was really, really disappointing. We gave away a ridiculous goal from a set piece, we all have jobs to do and we didn’t concentrate,” he said.

“We defended well at times and after they scored we came into it but we have to do better and don’t concede when we don’t need to. 

“Hopefully come January we will look different. We need that investment. We can’t afford any more injuries, it is going to be a hard slog throughout Christmas.

“Our aim has always been to stay up and we are not adrift.”