GEORGE FRIEND admits it is imperative Middlesbrough take maximum points from their next two home games if they are to retain their hopes of achieving automatic promotion.

Monday’s 2-0 defeat at Watford sent the Teessiders tumbling to fourth position in the table, and removed any margin for error with just five games still to play.

Boro entertain relegation-threatened Rotherham United on Saturday before hosting in-form Wolves four days later, and with a trip to promotion rivals Norwich City still to come, anything less than a six-point haul would make it extremely difficult for Aitor Karanka’s side to force their way into the top two.

Crucially, Boro’s home form so far has been superb – no one has bettered their record of 13 Championship home wins – and while Friend admits Monday’s trip to Vicarage Road was another opportunity that went begging, the full-back expects things to have swung back in Middlesbrough’s favour by the end of Tuesday night.

“There have been quite a few people that have had a go at being top of the table now,” said Friend. “We’ve done it a few times and unfortunately not been able to stay there.

“Everyone’s getting their chance, but it’s where you are at the end of the season that matters, and finishing on top is still attainable for us. We feel we’re going to be up there.

“We’ve got two home games and we have to pick up all six points – it’s a must, but I believe we can do it. We’ve been pretty reliable at home all season, and this is certainly a good time to be going into back-to-back home games.

“We’re coming off the back of a loss, so it’s good to be returning home for a couple of matches. The international break came after the Bournemouth game and we probably didn’t want it then, because we had a lot to think about over those two weeks.

“Now, we have two games straight away and a real chance to get six points. If you get six points out of six at the moment, you’re hoping someone is going to drop points and you can really take advantage.”

Even by the Championship’s standards, Monday was a remarkable afternoon that saw the lead of the division change hands on three separate occasions.

Boro ceded top spot to Watford in the lunch-time kick-off, Norwich briefly moved to the head of affairs when they were winning and Birmingham were beating Bournemouth, but it was Eddie Howe’s side who ended the day in pole position after they came from two goals behind to eventually win 4-2.

Bournemouth would appear to be in the box seat, as not only do they boast a one-point advantage, but none of their remaining five matches pits them against a side in the top half of the table.

Aside from facing Boro, all the rest of Norwich’s matches come against teams in the bottom half, while ninth-placed Nottingham Forest are the highest-ranked side appearing on Watford’s schedule.

On paper at least, Boro’s run in is much the toughest of the four promotion rivals, but Friend is expecting plenty more twists and turns with the Championship boasting a justified reputation for being almost impossible to predict.

“I don’t think there’s ever an easy way in this league,” he said. “There have been a few teams in the past that have romped it and won the league easily by this stage, but that never looked like happening this year.

“The quality in the Championship has been really good. There are a lot of sides that have improved this season, and that’s made it tougher to stand out and take the league by the scruff of the neck. It’s good for the neutrals, although not so much for the die-hards.”

Some of the die-hards in the Boro support have criticised Karanka’s decision to name two debutants in his back four at Vicarage Road.

Dwight Tiendalli and Fernando Amorebieta both made their maiden Boro appearance in one of the most crucial matches of the season, but Friend feels it would be unfair to cite their sudden promotion to the starting line-up as an explanation for the defeat.

“We’ve proved this season that anyone can come into our back four and do a good job,” he said. “Whoever has come in at any time has done well. I thought both of the new lads did well at Watford. I enjoyed playing next to Nando (Amorebieta). He’s obviously got a lot of experience, and is good in the air and with his feet. I think he’s a good acquisition.”

Karanka will have to make at least one change for the Rotherham game, with Adam Forshaw set to partner Adam Clayton at the heart of midfield as Grant Leadbitter begins an extremely untimely two-game ban.

“It’s a big loss, and you can’t hide that because Grant has been brilliant,” said Friend. “He’s definitely had the best season since I’ve been playing with him. He’s been a great leader and a bit of a talisman, but I think we have players who can come in and do well.

“It’s up to the manager who he picks, but I think we have a good enough squad to fill that void for the time being.”