Michael Carrick to West Ham talk should be no surprise for Middlesbrough FC support | OneFootball

West Ham's interest in Michael Carrick will be unsurprising for Middlesbrough Supporters.

Middlesbrough have finally found their form in the Championship with three consecutive victories taking Michael Carrick's side to fifth-place in the league.

However, it has been the style of these wins that has caught the eye. Initially, they saw off Queens Park Rangers 4-1 at Loftus Road and have followed that up with 5-1 and 6-2 demolition jobs of Luton Town and Oxford United respectively.

Those who have been watching Boro will know that these results have been coming for weeks with Carrick really beginning to get a tune out of his side.

With winnable upcoming fixtures against Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, Boro will be keen to maintain the momentum and strengthen their bid for promotion.

However, this form has begun to catch the eyes of the footballing world, with Tony Cascarino tipping Carrick for a potential future vacancy at West Ham United.

Cascarino backs Carrick for potential West Ham vacancy

Having brought experienced coach Julen Lopetegui to the London Stadium in the summer, the Hammers would have expected a far better start to the campaign.

Currently (25th November), they sit in 14th place ahead of an away fixture against Newcastle United, having managed just three wins all season. However, it is the Spaniard's conservative style of play that has drawn significant criticism, with the Hammers overly reliant on defensive solidity and struggling to produce going forward.

This already sees him under pressure, and it could worsen if they are defeated by the Magpies.

Unsurprisingly, many have already begun talking about potential replacements and speaking on talkSport, Cascarino voiced his thoughts: "You know West Ham fans, I think the owner is always trying to appease them with the sort of manager that would fit the bill.

"Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough were a bit flying. A big old win yesterday, 6-2, top goalscorers in the Championship at the moment [on 29 goals].

"And they're what, lying fifth? I think they're fifth, yeah, fifth in the Championship and there's been a bit of a turnaround there.

"So he'll be an obvious candidate for someone like West Ham. Because the fans would certainly embrace one of their players that they had many moons ago and bring a style of football that West Ham fans so dearly want."

Middlesbrough fans will be unsurprised by West Ham talk

Having been linked to the Hammers in the summer, it will come as no surprise to Boro fans if the London club return again.

During his time in the North East, Carrick has initiated a brilliant project which has turned his side into one of the most exciting teams in the Championship. Whilst he is still yet to achieve the desired result of promotion, there is enough groundwork to suggest it is approaching.

At present, the underlying statistics for this season highlight Boro as one of the Championship's standout teams.

They lead the league with a remarkable expected goals (xG) figure of 30.7, while their expected goals conceded (xGC) stands at an impressive 13.8, the third-best in the division.

These figures prove that this could well be the year Carrick achieves promotion if he remains committed to Boro, but it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t already earned the chance to test himself at the highest level.

If West Ham come calling, then it looks like an ideal project with the board happy to spend heavily on numerous players as displayed during the summer window.