Tomas Mejias: 'To come to Boro was hard - but I've learnt from my mistakes'

Boro stopper Tomas Mejias admits the last 12 months have been a tough learning curve in England but believes he has now overcome his demons.

The Spaniard started the season as Boro’s number one, but a series of early-season errors saw him quickly drop down Aitor Karanka’s pecking order.

The former Spain Under-20s keeper has since gone some way to restoring his reputation, keeping back-to-back clean sheets in the FA Cup at Barnsley and Manchester City.

And it was his performance at the Etihad Stadium which most caught the eye, pulling off a string of world class saves to help Boro pull off a dream result at the Premier League champions.

Mejias is likely to start in goal for Boro at Arsenal on Sunday - and he is hoping for another big display against one of the Premier League’s powerhouses.

“I’ve learnt from my mistakes and worked on the good things,” Mejias told TheFA.com.

Middlesbrough's Tomas Mejias

“I’m trying hard every day at training to try and get a chance in the team - this is why the FA Cup has been good for me.

“The two games have been good, and now we have another big team to try and play a good match.

“For me to come to Middlesbrough was a big change - a new language and new style of football.

“But at this moment I feel good.”

Mejias arrived on Teesside initially on loan in February 2014, and made his debut in a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

But Dimi Konstantopoulos was preferred shortly after, and despite a brief spell out of the team earlier this season, the experienced Greek remains Boro’s number one league stopper.

Many Boro fans were surprised when Mejias was given the nod by Karanka at Man City, but the keeper’s remarkable performance to keep Sergio Aguero and co will have gone some way to building the bridges with Boro fans.

And the 26-year-old now can’t wait for another baptism of fire against the current FA Cup holders Arsenal, with Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla all expected to start.

“We know that it will be hard but we will look to create chances and take them,” Mejias added.

“We have to stay together again, stay good in defence, and why not? We may surprise again.”