Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate has offered a frank explanation over the reason why the winger Marcus Tavernier has not started more games in the Championship so far this season.

Tavernier started his first game of the season in the league in Middlesbrough's 1-1 draw against Preston North End on Tuesday night at the Riverside and the 20-year-old was one of Boro's best performers in the game, with his driving runs helping to cause problems for Preston's defence and help push his side further up the pitch.

Middlesbrough have been in need of player with qualities that Tavernier possess, with the 20-year-old offering plenty of energy and ability to beat his full-back to create space in the final third, and the winger helped to improve Woodgate's sides ability to create chance on Tuesday against Preston.

Woodgate, though, has elected to just give him limited appearances from the bench in the Championship in Boro's first ten games of the season, with the 20-year-old's only start coming in the Carabao Cup defeat at League 2 Crewe Alexandra.

Speaking to the Teeside Gazette ahead of Middlesbrough's trip to Birmingham City on Friday, Woodgate suggested that Tavernier's performance at Crewe left him doubting whether he should start in the league but praised him for taking his chance against Preston, saying "The reasons why Tav wasn't playing? He played the game against Crewe and didn't do great in that game.

"Listen, people get chances in the game and he took his chance the other night I thought he played really, really well and hopefully we get another performance out of Tav - if selected."

The Verdict

Woodgate's assessment of Tavernier's situation is certainly an honest one and the Boro manager is probably right to be wanting not to rush the 20-year-old into his side, if he has doubts over whether he ready to perform at a consistent level.

However, Tavernier's performance against Preston was much-needed for Middlesbrough and he offered a lot of the qualities that Boro have lacked going forwards at times this season, and in their current form they need as many players on form in the side as possible.

Tavernier now needs to show he can play at the level he did on Tuesday for a run of games to convince Woodgate he can become a reliable starter for the rest of the campaign, and Friday's trip to Birmingham offers him the chance to build momentum both personally and for the rest of the team.