It is one of the enduring mysteries of the current season, why Middlesbrough do not seem to be confident in starting with Britt Assombalonga in the Championship.

To those on the outside looking in, Assombalonga is a top notch striker, a player who will always score goals in the Championship. He's got a £15m price tag in his recent history and yet hasn't been able to force a regular start for his club.

He's only started 16 of Boro's 32 matches in the league this season, but with ten goals he's far and away their leading scorer. He has four more than his nearest challenger and yet up until this weekend, he's been coming off the bench.

Yesterday, he bagged the only goal of the game on a rare start as Blackburn were put to the sword. The result lifted Boro into fifth place and back into serious contention for a top six finish at the very least.

He's now scored six goals in nine matches, two in the FA Cup and four in the league, three of which have come from the bench. This weekend, on his first Championship start since Boxing Day, he settled the game.

Boro face QPR and Wigan next, two games they'll be hoping to win to keep themselves in the play-off spots. They're both winnable games, but Assombalonga will be expecting a start. What more does he have to do? He's a proven scorer, he's shown time and again what he can do and on being given a chance, he produces the goods.

It's a critical time for him and for his Boro career. If he drops to the bench in either game, goals or not, it surely signals him out as one player Pulis simply isn't sold upon. After all, Jordan Hugill has started 18 matches and has fewer goals, plus he is only on loan.

If Britt Assombalonga doesn't start the next two matches, it might be time to get his agent on the phone and find him a club that does want a striker who can easily bag 15 or 20 goals in the Championship.