AITOR KARANKA is delighted Middlesbrough remain in pole position with just three games of the Championship season to go, despite the concession of a stoppage-time equaliser in last night’s 1-1 draw with Burnley.

Boro looked to be closing in on a place in the Premier League when Jordan Rhodes fired them into a 70th-minute lead at Turf Moor, but Burnley defender Michael Keane bundled home from close range in a dramatic finale.

The draw means Boro are two points clear of both Brighton and Burnley with three games remaining, and are still guaranteed to win promotion if they win their remaining matches.

The Teessiders entertain Ipswich on Saturday and travel to Birmingham six days later, before Brighton travel to the Riverside on the final day of the season, and for all that yesterday’s concession was a disappointment, Karanka was keen to accentuate the positives in the immediate aftermath of the game.

“We can say that we have lost two points today, but I prefer to keep calm and think about the quality of the performance and the personality the players showed,” said the Boro head coach. “They showed a lot of good things on the pitch, in a difficult situation, and for that reason, I am calm.

“We are still two points above both of them (Brighton and Burnley), and have three games to play. We are in a really good position, so I am really looking forward to the game against Ipswich on Saturday.

“I told the players I am more than proud of them. They deserved to win today, and played in the way we like to play, except for in the last minute when the game was extremely difficult to play.

“We are in this position because we showed once again that we are the best team in the league. We just have to keep going, and when I look at them and see and feel them in the way that they are, I am calm.”

Attention now switches to the weekend visit of Ipswich, with Boro looking to maintain the fine home run that carried them to recent victories over Huddersfield, Preston and Reading.

Burnley travel to Preston on Friday night, so could have reclaimed top spot by the time Boro play, but Karanka is confident his players will make the most of home advantage to keep their promotion hopes in their own hands.

“At home, we are a really confident team,” he said. “We have won our last three games at home in the space of one week. It will be a difficult game, so we know that we need the supporters’ help again.

“We need everything we can get at this stage of the season when every point is gold, and I just want to transmit to them (the supporters) that they have to be happy and proud of these players.

“I don’t really think anybody can look on today like a defeat. We are at the top of the table, and we are at the top of the table because we have an amazing squad, amazing players and an amazing crowd. For that reason, we should all be proud of everything.”

A key downside to last night’s game was the injuries sustained by George Friend and Gaston Ramirez. Ramirez suffered a second-half knock and should be available for the weekend, but Friend looks to have suffered a hamstring injury that could end his season.

“It is too early to say (how serious the injuries are),”said Karanka. “We will have to check, but we only have three days before the game against Ipswich. I hope it is nothing serious.”

Burnley boss Sean Dyche felt his side more than merited their last-gasp leveller, and claimed Boro’s goal should have been disallowed because of a foul by Rhodes.

“It was the least we deserved,” said Dyche. “I thought the first half was a cagey affair, two good sides both trying to open each other up, but in the second half we were very dominant.

“It’s a shame really that a poor decision has led to a goal. I’ve seen it back and Rhodes crashes into Ben Mee, not the other way around.”