AITOR KARANKA has rubbished the theory that he likes to rotate his forward line by challenging his strikers to prove they deserve to start for Middlesbrough every week.

Patrick Bamford, Kike and Jelle Vossen are all jostling for position at the top of the Boro system under Karanka, while Lee Tomlin is competing for one of the supporting roles.

The Spanish boss, who has not kept the same starting 11 for consecutive matches this season, has regularly tinkered with his attack to keep his team competing for a top two spot.

Bamford has scored seven goals in 14 league starts, Kike has six from 16 and Vossen has hit four from nine. Tomlin, who has not operated as an out and out striker, has two from 16 starts.

Such a return is comfortably shy of the division’s leading strikers. Ipswich’s Daryl Murphy has 17, Derby’s Chris Martin has 15 and Nottingham Forest’s Britt Assombalonga is on 13.

While Karanka is satisfied that goals are being spread around the side, he has also suggested that he will be willing to stick by one man if he finds an incredible run of form in attack.

He said: "If one of them guaranteed me 20 goals in ten games I'm going to choose him on Saturday. We had Kike in form at the beginning of season, we had Jelle in form when he scored three goals at Millwall and then he isn't scoring, so I need to choose the best for each game. I'm lucky because I have three to choose. Last season I didn't have anyone."

He added: “When I was in Spain the main thing was the marks at the end of the season. At the end of the season if our strikers have scored a lot of goals, and we're in the Premier League, we can discuss.

“But now I'm very happy with them, they're working and we're keeping clean sheets because all the team is working. I'm happy with all of them and I know this season with the quality we have we are going to score, I don't have any doubts.”

Middlesbrough have failed to score in three of their last four Championship fixtures, which has meant they have failed to close a four-point gap to the leaders, Bournemouth, ahead of today’s visit of Huddersfield.

But Karanka remains confident in the men he can call on in attack, so will not be looking to make further additions up front this month after securing the services of Bamford until the end of the season from Chelsea.

"I said it three or four days ago and I'll say it again, all my players are the best because they're the players I've chosen,” he said. “I can understand, I can hear and read something that other teams have strikers with better numbers but for me, my strikers are the best because they're mine.

“I don't have any doubts - can we score more goals, yes, have we to score more goals, yes, but for the moment I don't change my striker and I'm pleased with them. Yes they need confidence and I'm confident with them.”

Despite failing to score in his last five matches, Bamford has really adapted to life at the Riverside and has become a big player for Boro. Karanka is convinced that the 21-year-old can become a real success story in the Premier League – with Chelsea.

“He can play for Chelsea and we're working to achieve the same, because he's young and he's very good,” said Karanka. “Every single game he's improving, last season at Derby he played really well, he's been here for five or six months and he's a better player now than he was at the beginning.

“He has a lot of potential and I'm sure he can play in Chelsea, if he keeps working in the same way. He's intelligent and knows his quality. Now I think he's more committed with the team because at the beginning he's a striker who likes to score goals, but now he's defending really well, scoring really well and feels like he's improving.”

Kike, on the other hand, has stuttered after a fantastic start to his Middlesbrough career which saw him score three in his first four following a £2.7m switch from Real Murcia. He is now without a goal since the 5-1 win at Millwall on December 6.

Karanka, who could call on him today to face the Terriers, said: “He was a surprise in the first month or two months because I thought it was going to be difficult for him, but he settled in here very well.

“Now he's not scoring but last season he scored 23 goals and I'm sure he'll finish this season with a lot. He needs to know the league. Last season for him was amazing because he was the star in Real Murcia, but now he's playing and not playing, it's the first time he's left his house and Spain, but I'm confident.”