Jonny Wilkinson may have found his feet in front of the posts in Australia on Saturday, but back in his adopted North-East of England homeland both Middlesbrough and Liverpool were desperately in need of his golden boot.

Boro, ironically, have had the pleasure of Wilkinson's company at their training base at Rockliffe Park in previous months along with the rest of his Newcastle Falcons teammates.

Steve McClaren even drafted Wilkinson's kicking coach Dave Aldred to work with the goalkeepers at the Riverside - a move which has worked wonders on first-choice Mark Schwarzer.

And now that the Rugby World Cup is over perhaps McClaren should consider making a renewed approach for Aldred, who has been Down Under coaching England's finest to help lift the Webb-Ellis trophy in Sydney.

This time Wilkinson's kicking guru should turn his attentions to Boro's forwards. The reason is clear for all to see. McClaren's men have now managed to forget about their dreadful start to the campaign, when they failed to win any of their opening five Premiership fixtures.

Since Bolo Zenden, Gaizka Mendieta and Danny Mills arrived just before the closure of the transfer window, Boro have climbed away from the relegation zone.

But Boro are being held back; they are struggling to force their way into the top six because of a serious lack of goals from a genuine 20-goal-a-season striker.

McClaren will go back into training this morning scratching his head as he tries to find the solution to his problems in front of goal. Massimo Maccarone and Szilard Nemeth have both been unable to hold down a place for a decent run in the side and now Michael Ricketts looks to be in the last-chance saloon.

Everyone knows how Ricketts has struggled to find full fitness since arriving from Bolton in a £3.5m deal nearly ten months ago. His departure from events in the goalless draw with Liverpool was greeted by cheers from sections of the Boro faithful inside; after failing to trouble a Liverpool defence led by Sami Hyypia.

Ricketts found it hard up front on his own against the Reds, but in his current form it is incredible to see how he picked up an England cap during his days at the Reebok Stadium.

It was hoped that the 24-year-old could build on the penalty he scored in the 2-0 win at Aston Villa - only his second goal for Boro since joining.

But McClaren will now realise there is still plenty of work ahead if the striker is to recapture the type of form he showed when he hit 19 goals in his first season with Bolton in 2001.

He said: "Michael did well at Villa and he did well against Liverpool. He played up there on his own and he created more space for Juninho to play in.

"He is getting fitter and it's up to Michael Ricketts what he wants to do."

Juninho, played just behind Ricketts, probed and teased the Liverpool defence, but it was a combination which never looked like working on Saturday.

And whether chairman Steve Gibson likes it or not, McClaren needs money in January to boost the number of forwards he has at his disposal to seven.

With Malcolm Christie and Joseph-Desire Job out injured, a proven goalscorer is needed on Teesside quickly if Boro are to seriously consider making a push for a UEFA Cup place or a trophy.

Defensively Boro are sound. They have not conceded a goal now in four Premiership matches, as Gareth Southgate and veteran Colin Cooper have formed an impressive pairing at the heart of the defence. Just ask England stars Michael Owen and Emile Heskey how they enjoyed their contest two days ago.

In Mendieta, Juninho and Zenden, McClaren has match-winners, while George Boateng and Doriva offer midfield grit.

But Boro never threatened Chris Kirkland, back in the side for the dropped Jerzy Dudek, in the Liverpool goal. Not one shot on target on home soil is a poor return when Gerard Houllier's men were never at their best.

Last season Liverpool's 12-match unbeaten streak came to an end at the Riverside, along with their title dreams, when Southgate headed in a late winner. But neither Boro nor Liverpool looked like securing the points this time around in a drab affair. There were a couple of half chances for the hosts. But Mendieta's turn and shot failed to trouble Kirkland, as did Boateng's speculative 30-yard drive.

Owen was largely on the periphery on his return to the Liverpool side after injury, and it was the arrival of his replacement Florent Sinama-Pongolle which started Liverpool's best period in the game.

His first touch on 69 minutes was a volley over the bar after Schwarzer failed to hold a cross, but his biggest contribution was the most controversial.

With nine minutes to go Sinama-Pongolle was put clean through on goal and with just Schwarzer to beat, Queudrue's challenge from behind appeared to ground the striker without taking the ball. Liverpool's managerial team, Phil Thompson and Gerard Houllier, raged and Houllier said: "He was kicked from behind and he is doubtful for our game with a swollen ankle. He must have been fouled. It was a cast-iron penalty."

McClaren, though, would only claim his side deserved a spot-kick when Djimi Traore poked the ball away from Mendieta in a similar incident midway through the first half. He said: "I thought ours was a penalty when Mendieta went down. I've not seen the Liverpool incident again so I wouldn't like to comment."

Result: Middlesbrough 0 Liverpool 0.

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