‘I’m sure Iheanacho has more goals in him,’ says Carrick after Nigerian scored first League goal in 526 days

Michael Carrick, the Middlesbrough manager believes Kelechi Iheanacho still has more goals in him after the Nigerian netted not only his first goal for his Sky Bet Championship side but also his first goal in the League in 17 months and eight days.

Iheanacho scored on 48 minutes to draw Middlesbrough level in their Sky Bet Championship game against visiting Oxford United at the Riverside stadium.

The 28-year-old last scored in the League in October 2023, incidentally in a Sky Bet Championship game between his club at the time, Leicester City and Swansea.

The former Manchester City player scored in the 3-1 win but has found it difficult to score in the League thereafter, including the nine LaLiga games he featured in for Sevilla before moving on loan to Middlesbrough.

Carrick, a former Manchester United star who provided 40 assists, scored 24 goals in 481 appearances in the Premier League, is confident the goal against Oxford will rejuvenate the Nigerian.

‘He is happy. Strikers love scoring goals and feed of doing that. Kel knows it. He has played at a level, and goals make you feel a bit better, naturally. That will hopefully help him no end. I wasn’t concerned. I knew he would score and hopefully he has got more in him, I am sure he has. It was a massive goal for us,’ said Carrick who won five Premier League titles.

Carrick also expressed delight with how Iheanacho dealt with his first half missed chance.

‘He will be a bit frustrated with the first half chance. He had to deal with that but that’s being a striker. You have to deal with that, so they tell me! You will miss some, but you have to keep being there to score them. He was in a great position to score and it just shows you how things can change. You have to manage it.’