AN EMOTIONAL Aitor Karanka has described how proud he was to watch Middlesbrough send him into dreamland after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United sealed a quarter-final place in the Capital One Cup.

After a nervous ending to more than 120 minutes of enthralling, albeit goalless, football at Old Trafford, Boro clinched a last eight tie with Everton at the Riverside courtesy of overcoming Louis van Gaal’s side on spot-kicks.

Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young both had penalties saved by stand-in goalkeeper Tomas Mejias and Michael Carrick missed the target as Middlesbrough clinched the win in front of 10,000 travelling supporters at the Theatre of Dreams.

And after watching Grant Leadbitter, Stewart Downing and Ben Gibson all find the net in the shoot-out to defeat Manchester United, Karanka could not hide his delight – just eight days after seeing Middlesbrough’s promotion push stutter with a defeat at Cardiff City in the Championship.

“We lost against Liverpool and Arsenal last season in the cups and we have beaten Manchester United and City, but the performance is the most important thing,” said Karanka, recalling last season’s cup fortunes against Premier League opposition.

“A team which two years ago was just two points above the relegation positions has now played at Wembley in the play-off final and has played against the best teams in the Premier League. I’m very proud of our club and our players and of course our crowd.

“It’s amazing. You know how proud I am of all of the fans. It’s easy to come to Old Trafford, to Liverpool but it was difficult to get to Cardiff last week but the fans were with us there. I am proud of them and they give me that energy to keep going because they deserve to be in the Premier League – and we are trying to do our best.”

Middlesbrough have to prepare for back-to-back home dates in the league against Charlton and Rotherham, but when Karanka left Old Trafford he admitted it will be hard to come down from the high of defeating van Gaal’s Manchester United.

The Spanish head coach said: “It is amazing, when I started my career as a coach I imagined and I dreamed about nights like this. This is just an amazing feeling and it is incredible that we have won here.”

Middlesbrough had the best chances of the first initial 90 minutes, with George Friend and Grant Leadbitter going closest to scoring. In extra-time Manchester United had better chances, but the visitors could easily have won before the penalties.

Karanka said: “I felt that we were better than them, we were more confident on the pitch, we were fitter than them and for this reason I have to say how proud I am of my players.

“Sometimes you lose penalties, we lost against Liverpool and sometimes you can win but the main thing is the performance and it was against Man United, a big team, and it was amazing.

“It was difficult because we had injuries and players with four yellow cards so we have to be careful and we have another important game on Saturday, you know how important the league is to us this season, but I have to say how much I trust all of my players.”

Middlesbrough face Everton in the quarter-finals. Karanka said: “I’m really pleased because it’s at home and our crowed deserve one big game at home.

“We play against Everton and if I’m being successful here it’s because of Roberto Martinez gave me a lot advice when I came here so I have to express my gratitude to him.

“I’m really looking forward to playing him. He sent me a letter when I came here and he called me and it was a really good chat, telling me a lot of good things. We worked together two weeks ago on the Spanish Federation.”

Manchester United boss van Gaal did not have too many complaints either. He said: “I’m disappointed about the fact that we are out and that you are so close and that you are still out.

“The first half was the half we didn’t play so well but everybody is forgetting that they are playing in a very compact way like Manchester City did and then it is very difficult to create chances.

“You can say that it’s unlucky, this I said after the game against City but you have to force the luck also. We didn’t do that because we didn’t score. So that’s why I’m disappointed, but my players have given everything and that’s why I am also proud of them.”