Exciting Middlesbrough FC trend could hand Michael Carrick promotion key | OneFootball

Middlesbrough's array of goalscorers could be crucial for any promotion bid.

Middlesbrough's recent form has highlighted just how dangerous they can be going forward, backing up a commanding 4-1 triumph over Queens Park Rangers with an emphatic 5-1 drubbing of Luton Town.

This has quickly put behind any memories of a 3-0 defeat to Coventry City and means that Boro have now picked up 10 points from the last 15 available.

However, the element of these wins that has been the biggest standout has been the variety of goalscorers. Across the nine goals they have scored in their last two games, we have seen six different goalscorers.

This will be pleasing for Michael Carrick, who will no doubt understand that the building of a successful team is often reliant on somebody different contributing each week. Especially in modern-day football, where the premise of a natural goalscorer has become less prominent.

The hope will be that this continues, and come May a decisive factor in their possible promotion will be their goals from across the pitch.

Middlesbrough's all-round goalscoring prowess

At the end of last season, we saw an overreliance on either Finn Azaz or Emmanuel Latte Lath to score the goals for Boro.

However, after a slow start in terms of goalscoring numbers for both of them this year, we have seen different players step up.

Summer signing Tommy Conway is currently the club's top scorer, with five goals in 11 appearances. His form has eased the pressure on the Ivorian striker, who now seems to be finding his rhythm, having scored two goals in his last two matches.

Meanwhile, several other players have managed to contribute to the side, with Delano Burgzorg, Hayden Hackney and Matthew Clarke all netting more than once this term.

Of course, before the last two games, Boro weren’t finding the net regularly, but there is more than enough attacking talent within the squad to suggest they can maintain the form they showed against the Hoops and the Hatters.

If they do continue this, Boro must ensure that their Achilles' heel – conceding goals – doesn’t continue to undermine their progress. So far this season, they’ve let in 17 goals, while every team above them in the table, apart from Watford, has conceded 11 or fewer. If they can tighten up at the back, they will be well-placed to push on and those promotion spots will look ever closer.

Underlying statistics indicate promising Middlesbrough campaign

While five defeats in 15 games may not provide Boro fans with hope that they can reach the play-offs this season, the statistics paint a much prettier picture.

With just under a third of the season gone, Middlesbrough top the Championship for expected goals, registering an impressive 28.0. This comfortably outpaces the rest of the league, with Leeds United, their closest rivals, a further three behind.

In addition, their expected goals conceded stands up well, with the fourth-lowest total in the league at 13.4. Seny Dieng has been rarely tested in goal, making an average of just 1.5 saves per game, reflecting an improved defence.

Pairing this all together suggests that Boro would actually be second in the Championship if they could perform to their expected output.

This sort of information will be fed back to Carrick, and with the likes of Sunderland and Watford heavily outperforming their own metrics, you feel it is only a matter of time before Boro rise up that table.

With everything threatening to come together, Boro look to have the key that could unlock the door to promotion.