Michael Carrick took charge of his very first Middlesbrough game at Preston North End 26 months ago and it’s fair to say there has been a lot of change since then.

Seven players who started that game remain at the club, though one of them is Ryan Giles who only secured his return 18 months after leaving on Thursday. Of the other six, injuries mean only two - Hayden Hackney and Dael Fry - are likely to start Saturday’s latest trip to Deepdale.

Given his significance to Boro since Carrick’s arrival, it’s easy to forget that the Preston defeat in October 2022 was just a fourth league start of Hackney’s fledgling career. He’s had many ups and downs since that moment, but it’s safe to say his stick continues to rise. A stunning goal on Tuesday night in the victory over West Brom was a timely reminder of just how important the Redcar star is to Boro, and just how much quality he has.

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“He’s definitely grown a lot in that time, and developed,” Carrick said of the homegrown star. “He’s had a mix of experiences really. His first season went fantastically well and he played pretty much every game.

“He then picked up a lot of injuries in his second season last term, and he was a bit frustrated with that. This season, he’s come on strong. He’s had a little issue with an injury that he shrugged off pretty quickly, and he’s back to playing well again. You can see that with what he brings to the team.”

Speaking of what he brings to the team, his wonderful effort against West Brom was just his ninth senior goal. The 22-year-old admitted after the game that he’s conscious of wanting to add more to his game, having shown with the ones he has scored that he certainly has it in his locker to chip in. For Carrick though, his message to the midfielder would be not to think about it too much and let it come naturally.

The Boro boss said: I think it’s more just getting yourself in the right positions. We would ask the players not to have that kind of thing on their mind too much because you can end up making rash decisions. It’s more about the right processes really and making sure you put yourself in the right positions.

“Goals win games, so, without doubt, the more we can all score, the better. But I think it’s that mindset and getting the balance right to not chase things too much and put yourself in positions where you take chances on where it’s quite a low percentage that you score.

“There are other times where you have to take it and H has proved with the types of goals he’s scored that he is capable of doing it. To get more of them, you need to get yourself in the right positions to give you an even better opportunity to score more.”

Having been a midfield star himself, Carrick has worked closely with Hackney throughout his time on Teesside to help develop the 22-year-old’s game. Hackney has spoke often of the intricate details that Carrick was adding to his game to make him better.

There has certainly been a lot of development from him in that period, though when Carrick assesses that growth, he notes one thing about the Teessider which has not really changed at all.

“Since I first got eyes on him really, he’s always had that inner belief,” the Boro boss said. “He’s not someone who will shout and scream about it, not flash or in-your-face. That’s a way I really like.

“His confidence you see in how he plays the game, the way he takes the ball everywhere and the way in which he tries to influence the game. That all takes a level of confidence and belief in yourself. So he’s always had that.

“But, of course, the more you play and the bigger the influence you have on the team, the more success you have, that belief goes up a level. But I think he’s always had that in him. We want him to continue building on that.”