Michael Carrick backed Ryan Giles to quickly put the disappointment of his own goal on Monday evening behind him and showcase his quality at Middlesbrough this season.

Giles made his Riverside return against Sunderland, 18 months after his hugely successful first loan spell came to an end. However, the fairytale reunion was not to be for the left-back as he inadvertently turned a cross towards his own goal in the 87th minute, scoring what proved to be the Wearsiders’ winning goal in the derby.

It was a cruel ending to what had been a promising evening for Giles. Picking up where he left off in a Boro shirt, he attacked his wing like everyone at Boro knows he can, and delivered some dangerous balls into the penalty area. But after tough spells at Luton Town and Hull City following his Boro exit, this was hardly the return Giles would have dreamed of.

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Showing his faith after the game though, Carrick said: “Ryan’s disappointed, as we all are. Things like that can happen - it comes off you so quickly when there’s a lot of bodies in the box and you’re running back. Sometimes you can avoid things and sometimes you can’t.

“That was a cruel finish to the game. He’ll quickly put that behind him though. We won’t judge anyone on tonight. There were a few new faces in the team but we know what they can all do. I did think we did a lot of good things in the game, but we don’t get anything from it. That’s not on individuals, that’s on all of us."

The goal came as Enzo Le Fee once again got away from Luke Ayling down Boro’s right channel. It followed an overly-casual midfield pass from Aidan Morris which gifted the visitors possession. In that sense, Boro could have comfortably avoided ever being in a position for Giles to score the own goal.

When he did, Le Fee’s dangerous cross went right through a pile of bodies in the box. With Giles rushing back in to help with the defence, he did not expect the ball to evade everyone and come all the way through to him. It meant he was unable to adjust in time, and it was the lack of anticipation that was the only element of criticism Boro legend Stewart Downing did have for Giles.

Working the game as an expert analyst for ITV, Downing said: “He’s definitely not expecting it, but he’s got to move his feet - expect the unexpected. From the goal point of view though, that’s a fantastic touch [from Enzo Le Fee]. To be fair, he gave Luke Ayling problems and you could see his quality.”