Tuesday 23 August 2016 15:18, UK
Middlesbrough striker Jordan Rhodes could be given a chance to impress boss Aitor Karanka when the team travels to Fulham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.
The 26-year old has not made a competitive appearance for Boro this season as the team have made an unbeaten start to Premier League campaign, but Karanka may be about to reward the Scot for his patience in the tie at Craven Cottage.
Rhodes is now vying for a regular starting spot along with David Nugent, Christian Stuani and Alvaro Negredo, but Karanka informed Rhodes he will be given his opportunity following the 2-1 victory at Sunderland on Sunday.
"Everybody who is in the squad will have his chance," Karanka said.
"I'm going to make changes because I have a lot of good players and for sure Jordan is one of them and he will have his chance.
"I've spoken to him, I speak with all the players and I said after the game that Jordan is a really good kid and I told him I trust him 100 per cent, the same way I trusted him when he came here.
"But now he understands that with Alvaro Negredo, with Nugent, with him and with Stuani, who can all play in that position, there is more competition but it's good for everybody, for the team.
"It's difficult to be the best one because all of them are really good and it's important for him to train in the way that he has been doing because one day he will have his chance.
"He's fighting, since we started pre-season and since Negredo arrived, and I feel he's ready and one day his chance will appear.
"It's true we have to keep our feet on the ground because the start of the season has been really good.
"But for that reason I'm going to change the players tomorrow, to let the players know, the players who are playing, that we have other players who can play any time and they have their chance to show me."
