Middlesbrough

It was difficult to see what a former Uefa Champions League winner with Real Madrid had in common with a club in one of England’s traditional industrial heartlands.

The contrast to the man he replaced, the former Middlesbrough defender Tony Mowbray, could hardly have been greater.

But Karanka, who had been Jose Mourinho’s assistant at Real Madrid, settled quickly.

Middlesbrough were 16th when he took over and, although he lifted them only to 12th in the table, they won six of their last eight games of the season.

The improvement has continued this season and, despite an awkward start in which they lost three of their opening five games, Middlesbrough lie second in the Championship, with a return to the Premier League after six years away achievable.

An away tie at Manchester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup today gives them a chance to see just how far they need to progress if they are promoted.

Karanka and Mourinho remain close and exchange advice when one is playing a team in the other’s division.

“I speak with Jose every single week,” Karanka said. “Jose needed to know more from me, when he played against Watford and the others, than I need to know things from him about City in return.

“We’ve now got a big chance in the league and cup. When the draw was made I thought, ‘brilliant, we can now face one of the best squads in the world’.”

City, after their run of nine wins in 11 games, seem to have regressed again since the turn of the year.

Sergio Aguero is back from injury but still not at his best, while Yaya Toure is away at the African Cup of Nations.