AITOR KARANKA will tonight stand by his policy of naming the strongest team possible for every game, insisting that a player must earn a place in his team as opposed to being gifted one.

Middlesbrough are in Capital One Cup third round action at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight, a game which falls between Championship fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.

Normally, tonight’s fixture would be an opportunity to rest players, but Karanka does not want to use the match as an opportunity to look at players who have not been heavily involved this season, such as Yanic Wildschut, Adam Forshaw and new signing Carlos de Pena, who is yet to kick a ball for Boro since signing on transfer deadline day last month.

“It’s true that it is an opportunity for them, but they are not put in because it is an opportunity, it is because they are the best for those games,” said Karanka of his fringe players. “If I put out 11 players it is not as a present because they deserve an opportunity or they are training well, it will be because I think they are the best players for that game.”

That said, Karanka is considering giving Dimi Konstantopoulos a breather which would allow Michael Agazzi to make his debut after completing a loan move from AC Milan during the transfer window, while Tomas Mejias is also in contention.

“I have to think,” said the Spaniard. “Last season, we had three keepers and the third was Connor (Ripley). He was young and he did not have the experience that I thought he needed to play. Now we have Dimi, Tomas and Michael so I have to think who will play. For sure, the keeper who plays will be the best for the team.

Konstantopoulos was man of the match in Boro’s 2-1 win at Forest, but Karanka does not think that having two other goalkeepers ready to come in has any effect on his performance, and feels that other players can learn from the Greek stopper.

“I said after the game on Saturday, Dimi’s attitude and behaviour has been the same since I came here,” said Karanka. “His professionalism, his desire and his character is always great. It’s amazing for me and for everybody how at 36 years old he can improve every single day. He’s a very good example for everybody especially the young players.”

It was at this stage last year that Boro faced Liverpool in a memorable game in the Capital One Cup, where Karanka’s side lost 14-13 on penalties after ending the game 2-2. Despite the defeat, Karanka has fond memories of Boro’s cup exploits, including the 2-0 win at Manchester City and the subsequent loss at Arsenal in the FA Cup, but insists that Boro must earn their chance to play the Premier League’s elite.

“For my experience, I had three or four games that were amazing,” said Karanka of last season. “As a manager of 12 months to be involved in those games was very important for me. It’s true that if we want to play Liverpool or Manchester City again we have to win the game (tonight) in the same way that last season we beat Oldham and Barnsley to get to play them.”

Boro have lost one game this season, climbing to second place in the Championship after their win in the East Midlands, but Karanka has warned against complacency ahead of tonight’s fixture and Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off at home to Leeds United.

He added: “(Saturday) was a very important win against a very good side but we have to keep going the same way and build our confidence. We are doing the right things but we can't think that everything is done - it is only September.

“Now we have a game in the cup and we want to win every single game. For this reason the worst mentality we can have now is to think everything is done, it would be a very big mistake.”

“My priority is to win. And at the end of the season we will see where we are. I can’t think about promotion in September and I can’t reserve a player thinking about Sunday. We want to win the game, knowing it will be difficult against Wolves but after today we will think about the Leeds game.

“But for now my priority is Wolves.”

MIDDLESBROUGH (probable): Agazzi; Nsue, Kalas, Amorebieta, Friend; Clayton, Forshaw; Reach, Fabbrini, Adomah; Kike