Midddlesbrough v Bristol City: Michael Carrick aims to restore Riverside roar

Chris Wilder's opening game ended in a 1-1 draw with Millwall. His next match , also at home, ended in defeat, but Boro started to make significant strides after that to change the narrative of their season as autumn turned into winter.

Carrick is assigned with doing the same, although the current aims are rather more prosaic.

The former Manchester Unite midfielder has been brought in to arrest a very disappointing - and alarming - first few months of the season.

As with Wilder, he has provided a touch of early opti mism, by virtue of a midweek win at Hull City. Plenty of hard work lies ahead and Carrick knows that.

The good thing is that there already seems a renewed sense of togetherness within the Boro camp, with fans having bought into his appointment quickly.

Testament to that arrived in the joyous post-match scenes between staff, players and fans at the MKM Stadium and Carrick can be sure of a positive welcome in his first Riverside appointment.

Carrick, who has already spoken of the importance of the connection between the club and fanbase on several occasions, said: "You cannot put a gauge on how important the noise and support and how much energy that it can give a player individually and as a team in that little bit of adrenaline and buzzing and relief to go and do things that only playing at home with that noise and support you can do.

"I have played here enough to know that it is a tough place to come and the atmosphere can be amazing. That's where we need to get to.”

Midfielder Hayden Hackney has received his first call-up to the Scotland Under-21s.