AITOR KARANKA has paid Tomas Mejias the perfect compliment ahead of his big Championship chance by claiming the Middlesbrough goalkeeper has all the attributes to prove himself on the Premier League stage.

Mejias will today start a Championship fixture for the first time since the end of August when he replaces the suspended Dimi Konstantopoulos against Leeds United.

The Spanish shot-stopper has impressed in his three FA Cup outings since the turn of the year but has found it hard to dislodge Konstantopoulos.

The red card picked up by the Greek keeper at Birmingham on Wednesday has provided Mejias with an opportunity and Karanka is confident he can deliver.

“I believe he has the potential and qualities to become a Premier League goalkeeper,” he said. “When we needed a keeper last season after Shay Given left, Tomas was the first one I had in my mind.

“It was difficult for him to come over and change his language, the competition is different. There are more direct balls and second balls. It was easier to play with his feet at that time. Now he has to play and cope with more long balls. Opponents here are different.”

Mejias arrived from Real Madrid, initially on loan, where he had graduated from the Bernabeu club’s academy system.

“Tomas was at Real for the three years with me and he was a third keeper for the last two,” said the Middlesbrough head coach, a former Spain youth team coach. “Iker Casillas was the first, Antonio Adam was the second and Tomas was the third.

“I know him very well. He has watched one of the best. He is young and full of potential, but was unlucky here when he first arrived. He is a player who grew in Real Madrid academy and he earned his place in the first team squad. That is not easy!

“He has played in all of the national team age groups, from Under-16s to Under-21s, and he has a very good past. He came last season and played unbelievable against Sheffield Wednesday but was unlucky because the following week he got injured. This season he was not in his best form but now I am confident he will do very well.

“This is just another big game for him. There’s no different pressure on him. We have to defeat Leeds to stay top of the table and he is ready to play, just like he was in those two big cup games. I am confident that he is confident. All of my players are always ready to play.

“Tomas has shown great character in training while he has been left out. If he had trained in a bad way he would have played badly against Arsenal or Man City. He has shown everyone he is a very good professional. He has respect for Dimi and Dimi is respecting him and Connor Ripley. I am confident in them all, whoever plays.”

When Karanka was with Spain’s Under-20s he had Mejias in his squad along with Boro team-mates Kike and Emilio Nsue. All three are likely to play some part against Leeds today, as the Teessiders look to extend the gap at the top of the table.

A Middlesbrough win would see them claim a four-point advantage over Bournemouth and Derby County in the promotion race before the 3pm fixtures take place. It is the first time Karanka’s side have had such control.

He 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.”

Karanka, who is going to freshen his side up today, is adamant it has not become a three-way race for promotion, with seven points separating the top six.

“Watford are doing very well, Norwich are winning games, it will be tight until the end I am sure,” he said. “All the teams are very close. I would like to be five or six points clear in a few weeks but I think that will be very difficult in the Championship.

“This game will be difficult. Leeds are very dangerous and 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.

“If we want to achieve things then we have to win these games, we have to play with the extra pressure that these games with Leeds brings. These are rivals for this club, so we know how important it is to win.”