THEY might not have made the start they were hoping for on the pitch at Middlesbrough but Michael Carrick has been hugely impressed by the "unbelievable" approach and attitude of Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Iling-Junior.
The pair arrived at Boro on loan in January with real pedigree, with the former having played in the Champions League this season and the latter having enjoyed previous success with Manchester City and Leicester.
Both were quickly thrust into Carrick's starting XI but weren't able to keep their place in the side. Iling-Junior's only start came at Sheffield United, while Iheanacho has also had to settle for a place on the bench in the last two games.
That coincided with Boro getting back to winning ways after five successive Championship defeats.
But Iheanacho made an impact from the bench against Derby. He was involved in Finn Azaz's late goal and created the chance for Delano Burgzorg when he hit the post.
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It goes without saying Carrick knows both Iheanacho and Iling-Junior would rather be playing, but that has made him even more impressed with what he's seen from them behind the scenes.
"Kel and Sammy in particular, they’ve not played the last couple of games," said Boro's boss.
"Having come here on loan, they way they’ve coped with that and invested in it, that’s unbelievable. They’re as keen as anyone to get success here this season. It’s great to see and we’re definitely going to need everybody between now and the end of the season."
Carrick isn't short of attacking options. As well as Iheanacho and Iling-Junior, Boro's boss has Burgzorg pushing for a start. The forward has arguably been Boro's best player since the turn of the year. Ben Doak is still to come back from injury, as is Riley McGree.
And Carrick believes that depth will be vital in the run-in, with subs as important as starters, he says.
He said: “I think that can be a big factor for us, particularly in terms of finishing games off stronger.
"We’ve wanted to finish games off better than we ultimately have this season. To do that, we need players coming off the bench having an impact.
"It doesn’t matter who starts, who comes off the bench, it’s different roles but equal importance. Coming off the bench, you can bring an extra level to the performance. Credit to the boys who have done it."
