Middlesbrough: Michael Carrick on the possibility of a Coventry penalty

Boro and the Sky Blues drew 1-1 on the final day of the season and were also unable to separate in Sunday’s playoff semi-final first leg at CBS Arena.

Should that be the case again on Wednesday evening after 90 minutes plus extra time, the tie will be decided by penalties.

“A lot of things cannot and must not go like this, it could end one way or the other. We’ll be prepared for whatever comes our way,” said Boro’s head coach when asked if his side will practice penalty shoot-outs ahead of the second leg.

“I’m not going for the shootout scenario. If it comes, it’s almost irrelevant at this point. We have a game ahead of us, so we’re looking forward to it.”

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Boro has the ability to blow sides at Riverside, scoring five for Reading and Norwich and scoring four against Preston. However, given the nature of their last two games against Coventry, it could well be a goal that decides Wednesday night’s game.

But Carrick knows both teams have attacking players who can give their all right away.

He said: “Obviously the two games so far have shown that things are close and the two defenses were probably at the top.”

“They defend very well and don’t leave a lot of space, especially on the edge of the penalty area.”

“We have to find a way to overcome that because defensively we were good as a team. But we know they have threats that, like us, can always decide a game.”

“It’s one of those where you can’t plan in advance what kind of game it’s going to be, but we always expect the unexpected and we’re prepared for it. A goal either way could get you started, but who knows?”