Saturday 27 August 2016 14:52, UK
Stewart Downing is back where he belongs as he tries to help Middlesbrough establish themselves as a Premier League club once again, according to Aitor Karanka.
The 30-year-old graduated from the Middlesbrough academy and made 234 appearances for the club before leaving for Aston Villa at the end of the 2008-09 season.
Downing, who has been capped 35 times by England, stepped down a division from West Ham to re-join his home-town club in 2015.
And Boro boss Karanka believes has seen enough during the opening weeks of the new season to be confident that his £5.5m signing will flourish in the Premier League once again.
"He is really important because he is enjoying it," the Spaniard said. "I can feel that he is enjoying playing again in the Premier League. You can feel that he is more comfortable now than he was last season in the Championship.
"He is an important player and he's an example for us, especially for the players on the pitch. He has played a lot of games in the Premier League, so he is a good reference for us."
Despite playing in central midfield during Wednesday's 2-1 EFL Cup second-round defeat at Fulham, Downing is likely to return to the left side of a three-man attacking midfield at West Brom on Sunday.
Karanka, who appreciates Downing's versatility, added: "He can play in different positions and it's those kind of players I like because now in the Premier League, he is playing really, really well."
Boro followed up their opening-day draw against Stoke with a 2-1 derby victory over Sunderland on Sunday to secure a first top-flight win since their return.
"It was massive," Karanka said. "When you have three points on the table, it is easier to believe, to be calmer. For that reason, it was really important."
