ADAM CLAYTON said even Lionel Messi would have struggled to score for Middlesbrough this season as he hailed the end of Alvaro Negredo’s goal drought.

Negredo scored twice in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Leicester, ending an 11-game spell without a goal dating back to the first day of the season.

But Clayton insisted the Spaniard was not to blame for the barren spell.

“I’m not sure Messi would have got many goals playing up front for us in the games we’ve played,” said midfielder Clayton.

“He’s not had many chances – we’ve played the best teams in the league and been limited to very few chances.

“But he’s had two chances now and put them in the net so hopefully that can get him up and running and starting to score a few more.

“He never stops working. He’s a big battering ram of a player, he’s a big character in the dressing room and he’s good to have around. Now he’s on the scoring trail.

“Of course we’ve felt for him. We’ve played some tough teams and we’ve had to concede the ball to teams like Man City and Arsenal.

“He’s been quite isolated in those games but hopefully now we can play a few games where we’ve got more of the ball and get him a few chances.

“There’s been no sign of his head going down at any point. In training he does his shooting, he’s laughing and joking and keeping his spirits up.

“Hopefully we can keep giving him the chances and if we do he will score goals.”

Boro were denied victory by a 94th-minute penalty from Islam Slimani after Marten de Roon fouled Wes Morgan.

But they were left fuming by an earlier penalty award for handball against Calum Chambers after he was shoved by Morgan.

Riyad Mahrez converted on 34 minutes to cancel out Negredo’s 13th-minute opener, with the Spaniard netting his second on 71.

“The second one is probably a penalty but I think the first one is dubious,” said Clayton. “We played well for spells.

“It’s probably the first game in five where we’ve had the ball for long spells and where we could show what a good team we are on the ball. We enjoyed the whole game to be honest. We were unlucky not to win.

“If you’d have said before the game that you would go away to the champions and get a point, you’d probably take it.

“I think we dominated the game for long spells and played well for the two goals and two decisions have probably cost us and pegged us back. As a team we played really well and probably deserved to win.”

Boro face Hull and Southampton in their next two games and Clayton added: “These are probably the games where there is more emphasis on us to go out and get points.

“These games will be very testing and we’ve got to be on the front foot, hopefully get Alvaro on the front foot and get him some chances and get some goals.”