Middlesbrough have 10 games to save their season.

A torrid season at the Riverside Stadium has seen them drop into the Championship relegation zone, meaning that they face an anxious couple of months as they wait to find out what their fate will be.

Being relegated to League One is unthinkable for most supporters, especially with the players that Jonathan Woodgate has at his disposal.

While injuries and contract uncertainty have arguably played their part this term, there’s more than enough experience and quality to get themselves out of danger.

Several players will be relied on to get the club out of the mire, but some will be hoping that they can make a surprise contribution to the club cause.

Rudy Gestede is certainly one who falls into that category.

The experienced striker has been plagued by injuries and a lack of form since arriving at the Riverside Stadium in January 2017, but this could be his time to make a difference.

The targetman has undoubted quality, and the hope is that he can use that to Middlesbrough’s benefit before his seemingly inevitable departure at the end of his contract this summer.

Gestede was a surprise starter for Monday night’s clash with Nottingham Forest, with the striker being one of Jonathan Woodgate’s top performers on the night.

But could the previously ousted frontman be a surprise saviour for Woodgate’s side?

We take a look at the numbers behind Rudy Gestede’s display to assess what he could bring.

His inclusion on the teamsheet was a real surprise for Middlesbrough supporters, but what was more of a shock was the duration of his stay on the Riverside pitch.

Gestede played all 96 minutes of the clash with Nottingham Forest – something which must surely be a first for the striker’s Boro career.

But he wasn’t just on the pitch the make up the numbers – in fact, Gestede was one of the most influential men in a red shirt.

Middlesbrough tailored their playing style to suit the strengths of the target man with plenty of crosses and long passes from deep being aimed towards the towering frontman.

This was something that caused problems for Sabri Lamouchi’s side from the first whistle, with Gestede causing numerous problems for Forest’s previously stern defence.

Many will draw your attention to Gestede’s first half goal on Monday evening, but in truth his performance was about so much more.

In fact, the striker only had one shot during the game – the effort which found the back of the Forest net.

Instead, Gestede bullied the visitors in the final third as won virtually every loose ball that was launched up to him.

He won an impressive 15 duels during his 96 minutes on the pitch – a staggering 13 of which were aerial duels.

For context, Forest boast one of the strongest aerial duel success rates in the Championship thanks to their towering defence, but against Gestede they struggled massively.

While Gestede’s impact is largely felt in the attacking third, it’s worth noting what he brings in defence.

His aerial ability is a key attribute to have when defending set pieces, and that was made clear by the three clearances that he made.

Jonathan Woodgate started the season by saying that he wanted his side to play possession-based, attacking football – something which doesn’t exactly fit into Rudy Gestede’s skillset.

Can you identify these Middlesbrough players based on their date of birth and birthplace? Have a go!

 

However at this stage of the season, all that matters is getting results.

If Middlesbrough can utilise this proven weapon within their armoury then it’s hard to bet against them causing problems for other teams.

Against Forest It was far from pretty, but it was effective and that’s what matters with 10 games to go.

If Gestede does move on in the summer, surely playing a part in keeping the club in the Championship would be the perfect way to leave – with nothing but goodwill from Middlesbrough’s supporters.

This is his opportunity to build something of a legacy at the Riverside Stadium, let’s just hope that Rudy Gestede has what it takes to help Jonathan Woodgate’s side to stay above that dotted line come the end of the season.