No 'dramas' for Middlesbrough FC boss Michael Carrick despite damning statistic affecting their Championship season

They have beaten four of the Championship's top six, as it stands, in Leicester City, Southampton, West Brom and Sunderland.

On the flip side of the coin, they have failed to beat any of the division's current bottom five, who include Yorkshire trio Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United.

Boro completely dominated in Boxing Day's game against the Millers, but lost out in the one column that truly matters.

It was an afternoon when for all their passing artistry and pleasing on the eye traits in possession, they clearly lacked ruthlessness in front of goal on an occasion when they started without a recognised number nine - with Josh Coburn coming on from the bench.

Events in South Yorkshire palpably heightened focus on Boro's forthcoming transfer requirements in January, with bringing in a recognised Championship striker or two being right at the top of the list with the Teessiders having not adequately replaced either Chuba Akpom or Cameron Archer thus far.

Despite obvious frustration among sections of the club's fanfare regarding an inability to see off teams and take their chances more to make their side's life somewhat easier - especially against some of teams at the wrong end of the table - head coach Michael Carrick insists he retains faith in the options at his disposal.

Carrick, whose side lost out to a freak 72nd-minute goal from Cohen Bramall at Rotherham, said: “The lads can score goals, I’m confident of that.

"You’re always a better player when you’re injured and everyone will say ‘he would have scored’.

"We had good players playing up front (at Rotherham), so no drama there.

"It's easy to pick the bones out of every game. We have goals in the team. We created chances, we're playing largely good football, we're doing a lot of good things.

"I think largely, I’m sure some will disagree, but I thought the performance, particularly coming away from home against a team who make it so tough with their direct approach, was good.

"I just thought we dealt with that so well throughout, controlled the ball, pinned them in. We just couldn’t score. That’s why it’s so difficult to be critical of the boys.

"We have to forget about the result and take a lot from the performance."

Boro, who operated with a winger as a false nine on Tuesday in Sammy Silvera, are again likely to be without injured striker Emmanuel Latte Lath for Friday's trip to Huddersfield, alongside key midfielder Hayden Hackney and first-choice keeper Seny Dieng.

England under-21 star Hackney has been out for just over a month with a groin issue, while Dieng, who is due to link up with Senegal for the African Cup of Nations next month, has missed the club's last three games.

Latte Lath (hamstring) has been sidelined for the last two matches.