Boro’s midfield general Adam Clayton admitted days “don’t get better than this” after Aitor Karanka’s men earned a 2-0 win at Premier League champions Manchester City.
Second half goals from Patrick Bamford and Kike earned the Championship high-flyers a dream FA Cup victory at the Etihad Stadium.
The win will have meant even more to Manchester-born Clayton,who made an emotional return to the club he watched as a schoolboy and signed for when he was just seven.
After the match Boro’s battling midfielder admitted it was a glorious day for Boro, and said the calming influence of Premier League veterans Dean Whitehead and Jonathan Woodgate was crucial to the team’s win.
“It’s a great day, we’ve won the game and beaten Man City so for the day it doesn’t get any better.
“There was belief (that we could come here and win). Obviously you’re coming to City which is always a massive test but we have the likes of Dean Whitehead who has been here many times before and knows the mentality.
“He and Jonathan Woodgate were telling us to believe. We did that and we did well.
“We didn’t really thought about the game too much until we beat Cardiff on Tuesday, it hadn’t come into our thoughts too much. I think that was a good thing because you can build up pressure before a game like this.
“It’s a good feeling, we’re winning games and up near the top of the league, We just need to keep focused and keep working as hard for each other as we have been.”
Boro’s win means they will be in the hat for Monday’s FA Cup fifth round draw, but Karanka will now turn his side’s attention to a lunchtime showdown with Brentford in the Championship next weekend.
Upon moving to Teesside in the summer Clayton was clear about this season’s objective - and despite toppling his former side, he says nothing has changed.
“I moved to Middlesbrough because I want to play in the Premier League and that’s our aim. Hopefully we can do it.”
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