AITOR KARANKA wants Middlesbrough to ensure nothing is taken for granted in the Championship promotion race, once his players have put on a show against Premier League champions Manchester City tomorrow.

Despite making a return to the top-flight a priority come May, Karanka is treating the FA Cup fourth round tie at the Etihad Stadium with huge importance and is keen for his players to prepare in exactly the same manner as they have for any other game this season.

City, on the other hand, appear to be taking a different approach, as Manuel Pellegrini targets success in the competition. While tomorrow’s game kicks-off at 3pm, his players do not arrive back in Manchester until tonight after spending this week in Abu Dhabi.

Pellegrini intends to take his squad through a final pre-Boro session in the United Arab Emirates today before flying home in mid-afternoon. A near seven-hour flight – regardless of what class they will be flying – would not normally be viewed as ideal match preparation.

City beat Hambug 2-0 in a friendly in Doha on Wednesday, when Frank Lampard limped out in the first half, and Pellegrini will assess his fitness before deciding on the best team to face Boro.

Karanka, who has carefully studied the champions’ defeat to Arsenal last Sunday as well as numerous other fixtures, is trying not to think about City’s preparations, believing his players will be in for a massive test regardless.

“They've had a friendly in Abu Dhabi but their focus is now on our game,” said the Spaniard. “They'll be thoroughly prepared because, of course, they don't want to lose to a Championship team, but they might have more problems scouting us than we do them.

“I'd have liked an international break to rest before going to Manchester City! It's a game that's going to demand a lot from us physically and mentally. We have to run and fight for 100 minutes. It's a game that's going to be very demanding.”

Karanka is giving defender Tomas Kalas every chance of proving his fitness for the game after he picked up an ankle knock against Cardiff on Tuesday. If the Chelsea youngster does not recover in time, asking Dean Whitehead or Kenneth Omeruo to play out of position are the alternatives.

While inflicting a cup shock on City would appear unlikely, Karanka does not see it that way and he is keen for his squad to turn on the style to maintain momentum after back-to-back wins in the Championship.

Boro climbed up to second by defeating Cardiff and – courtesy of midweek defeats for Bournemouth and Ipswich – they sit second and just a point behind the leaders. The head coach, however, is certainly not banking on playing in the Premier League in August.

“We have a big chance, we're more than halfway through the season and we're in a high position in the league,” said Karanka. “Just a few days ago we were five points off the top, now we're just one point, so it's an unpredictable league and it shows how difficult it is.

"We can't afford to feel like everything is done. The day we think like that we'll be making a very big mistake. Who would have expected that Brighton would beat Ipswich or Leeds would beat Bournemouth? Every single fixture in this league can spring a surprise.”

This weekend Karanka can forget about the demands of trying to keep Boro in the hunt for a top two spot. Rather than think about a date with Brentford, a week tomorrow, he wants to give former Malaga boss Pellegrini a headache.

"I've only been a manager for the last 14 months, but I have plenty of experience as a player,” said Karanka. “I've been in football for more than 20 years and every single day brings something different, this week will be the same.

“I had three years at Real Madrid with Jose (Mourinho) and those taught me to always be thinking just about the next game. Football is football, wherever it is, and whatever environment you're in. Football brings the same feelings and Saturday will be the same.”