AITOR KARANKA admits he took a leaf out of Jose Mourinho’s book in order to cultivate the team ethic has been so integral to turning Middlesbrough around.

Boro head to Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round tomorrow, and having already accounted for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City in the previous round, it says much about how far the Teessiders have come under Karanka that no one is regarding the tie as a foregone conclusion.

Since taking over at the Riverside in November 2013, Karanka has consistently preached the importance of placing the team’s goals above any individual considerations.

His players have bought into the philosophy, accepting the need to modify their natural game in order to carry out team requirements and avoiding the temptation to complain when the starting line-up is changed at regular intervals.

Karanka’s attitude is similar to the one Mourinho has cultivated throughout his career, and having worked with the Chelsea boss at close quarters during his three-year spell as assistant manager at Real Madrid, the Boro head coach readily admits he has been mimicking his mentor’s approach.

“We have brought our methodology in,” said Karanka. “I was working with Jose in Madrid - he has 14 years experience more than me, but it’s the same methodology.

“I had to change the mentality. When I came here, the people, and specifically the players, were concerned about their own performance, their own behaviour, and it was difficult to get the message across that it is all about the team.

“I can do my best, other players can do their best, but if the team does not win the games then it’s no good. At the beginning we had problems, but we started to win and people started to realise that we could win every game.

“Then it’s also about bringing the right players in, and showing them that when you go into games with the right mentality you can win. But the main thing is always to win.”

That single-minded approach has helped transform Boro from a side that was flirting with the Championship relegation zone when Karanka was appointed to one that currently sits at the top of the table following Tuesday night’s dramatic win at Blackpool.

Given that they are in a run of seven games in 22 days, tomorrow’s FA Cup tie could be regarded as something of an unwanted distraction when posited against the overriding importance of securing promotion to the Premier League, but the value of the momentum generated from last month’s win at the Etihad should not be underplayed.

Boro’s players took great confidence from the way they swept Manchester City aside in the second half, and while Arsenal will also head into tomorrow’s game on a high after a run of six wins from their last seven matches, the potential for another morale-boosting upset remains.

“I can imagine how exciting this is for everybody,” said Karanka. “I’m going to put my best team on the pitch to win this game.

“When you are in a good run it is important to keep going in the same way. We’ll have to see what happens, but once the game is over, we will look towards Birmingham (who they play on Wednesday). But for now, it’s an amazing game for everybody.”

Having outwitted Manuel Pellegrini and come close to embarrassing Brendan Rodgers – Middlesbrough drew at Anfield in the Capital One Cup, only to lose to Liverpool on penalties – tomorrow’s game gives Karanka an opportunity to pit his wits against Arsene Wenger, the longest-serving manager in the English game.

The Boro boss was part of a Real Madrid side that lined up against a Wenger-led Arsenal in a friendly a decade-and-a-half ago, but has never been part of a coaching team that has taken on the Gunners.

Mourinho and Wenger have a fractious relationship that came to a head again in October when the Arsenal boss pushed his Chelsea counterpart on the sidelines at Stamford Bridge, but Karanka insists he will not be involving himself in his close friend’s feud.

“Jose is at Chelsea and I am at Middlesbrough - it’s different,” he said. “I have to learn from these kinds of managers. I know how much experience he has. For me, I am starting my career, I always have to learn from the experienced managers in the game.”

Karanka does not expect any surprises from Arsenal tomorrow, claiming it is easier to analyse the Gunners that Boro’s previous opponents, Blackpool. However, he concedes that does not make it any easier to stop a side who will be taking on Monaco in the Champions League later this month.

“We haven’t watched Arsenal much this week,” he said. “But I’ve been watching Arsenal every weekend for 14 months. It’s easy to analyse them and what they do. Difficult to play – but easy to analyse.”