Middlesbrough player is beating Pedri and every other U23 player in Europe with extraordinary Carrick-esque statistic

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Middlesbrough are back in top form at just the right time of the season, and Michael Carrick has one player among his ranks who must surely remind him of his own glory days.

A strong start to the season for Middlesbrough saw them pushing at the very top of the Championship table and looking good for promotion.

However, a severe dip in form in the New Year appeared to kill those hopes off completely, and had Michael Carrick fearing for his job at the Riverside.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	40	26	7	7	56	30	26	83
3	LeedsLeeds	40	23	13	4	79	28	51	82
4	SunderlandSunderland	40	21	12	7	57	37	20	75
5	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	40	17	9	14	61	49	12	60
6	Bristol CityBristol City	40	15	15	10	51	43	8	60
7	CoventryCoventry	40	17	8	15	57	53	4	59

The Teessiders have kicked back into gear of late and are now sitting in fifth place in the league heading into the midweek clash with Leeds United.

It seems the Middlesbrough manager is safe for now, and if he can get Boro promoted, he will surely have one player in particular to thank for that success.

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Hayden Hackney is a passing master this season

Looking at players under the age of 23 across Europe’s top leagues, Hayden Hackney leads the way for passes into the final third, and it’s not even close.

The young midfielder has made 319 progressive passes into the final third this season, which is way more than his nearest rival in that department: Barcelona’s Pedri, who has 232 to his name.

That’s quite an impressive statistic in itself, especially considering the players he is beating in that department. Hackney is registering an average of 8.39 passes into the final third per game, a contribution that is absolutely helping his team tick.

But, we shouldn’t really be surprised, given the playing style of his manager and mentor at Boro, Michael Carrick.

The former Tottenham, Man Utd, and West Ham man was a midfield maestro in his day, renowned for his passing ability and composure on the ball in the middle of the park. Clearly, that has rubbed off on Hackney.

Carrick may still fail this season, and it will more than likely cost him his job, but the way he has helped Hackney develop into one of the very best players in the Championship has to be commended.

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Middlesbrough may have to say goodbye to Hayden Hackney soon

Hackney has been the ‘driving force’ behind Boro’s recent revival, and his teammates all know it, too. Sadly, so do most of the big clubs in England.

We know Crystal Palace and Fulham have looked at Hackney already, and there are bound to be many more Premier League outfits coming in for the 22-year-old if Boro do fail to make it to the top flight this year.

He’s one of a handful of Championship players that are ready for Premier League football, and to be honest, very few Middlesbrough fans would begrudge him the move.

Still, there is a chance he can make his top flight dream come true with Middlesbrough. And, if he fails, Boro could turn their attention to Jacob Wright to replace him this summer.