AITOR KARANKA believes his Middlesbrough players can prove they have the right mentality to stay at the top of the Championship ahead of Saturday’s visit of Leeds United.

Boro are a point clear following the midweek draw at Birmingham City and can extend that gap if they win the lunch-time kick-off at the Riverside Stadium.

It is the first time this season Middlesbrough have had such control at the top of the table, having spent the vast majority of the campaign playing catch-up with those above them.

But Middlesbrough, who have Dimi Konstantopoulos suspended and Daniel Ayala injured, are sitting pretty ahead of the date with Leeds.

Karanka said: “It doesn’t bring added pressure. The pressure was on last Wednesday and when we played Bournemouth too. We felt pressure to get to this position.

“I hope now we are in this position we can play in the way we know we can, we can be more confident and we have to defend this position. We are in to February and we have a long way to finish.

“It’s the biggest challenge to stay there. We have worked for six or seven months and nobody felt we could be in this position now, but we are. All of the players are working very well. They are very close in the changing room. They have earned this position. We have to defend this position we are in.”

With the potential to go four points clear before Bournemouth and Derby play on Saturday it could be easy to become complacent.

Karanka said: “The other teams play after our games so we don’t have to look at the table to see what the other scores are. We have to play in our own style, forgetting about other teams. It’s about us now because we are top of the table.

“Leeds are very dangerous. They are coming in to form. They are one of the teams I can’t beat. I have lost two at Elland Road and last season we could not beat them at home. They are one of this club’s biggest rivals so we have to try to beat them.”

The Middlesbrough boss is planning to make changes to the side which drew at Birmingham, though. He said: “Some players are tired. It’s difficult to play with ten players for 45 minutes. I have to think and feel about how they are. I try to choose the best 11. It’s just Dimi and Dani we have out really. The rest are ready to play.”