BEN GIBSON has highlighted Mustapha Carayol as being the key to a Middlesbrough victory today.

Boro travel to Bournemouth on the back of a win and a draw, which has coincided with Carayol’s return to the side, and Gibson feels that getting the ball up to the winger will bear fruit at the Goldsands Stadium.

“If we can isolate their full backs they’re going to be in trouble,” said Gibson. “There’s been a few full backs Muzzy’s had on toast and we try to get the ball to him and give him plenty of space to run into.

“His pace is frightening and the more we can get him on the ball the better it will be for us.

Carayol scored Boro’s goal in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, and Gibson said: “Muzzy’s been determined to get back to what he does best. He’s been brilliant and you can see that from the two games he’s played since coming back.

“It looked like he was going to be the difference when he got the goal. He’s a great player, we all know that and if we can keep him firing we’ve got a great player in our hands.

“It’s a great finish, he’s got the pace and can run at full backs all day long. He’s got the technical ability to match and long may that continue for him.

Middlesbrough visit the once-named Dean Court with the hosts in good form under Eddie Howe, winning their last three games on the spin including away wins at Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers that both ended 1-0.

In Lewis Grabban, the Cherries have one of the Championship’s top scorers with 15 goals, and Gibson knows he is going to have his work cut out for him today.

The Northern Echo: Lewis Grabban scored 21 goals for Rotherham last season

“They’re a good side,” said the 20-year-old centre-half. “They’ve come up from League One and done well. They’ve had some momentum and it’ll be a hard place to go, but we’ll do our best to get the right result.

“It’s important we keep picking up results otherwise those trips will become even longer. We need to stick together and grind some results out and keep grafting right to the very end.”