AITOR KARANKA was searching for the answers in more ways than one this week in a bid to get Middlesbrough moving in the right direction as the countdown clock closes in on a FA Cup quarter-final at the Riverside.

After a run of ten matches without a win in the league, frustrations have grown on Teesside after the back-to-back defeats with Crystal Palace and Stoke City; with a large number of supporters beginning to turn on the head coach.

Despite speculation surrounding the Spaniard’s future after the defeat at Stoke, when bookmakers slashed the odds on him losing his job, he has remained in charge and was encouraged to focus on today’s FA Cup tie when he had a chat with chairman Steve Gibson.

There had been indications of splits starting to emerge within the camp and further fall-outs with players, so Karanka was keen for the mood and has attempted to repair fractured confidence on the training ground this week.

In a bid to improve the spirit within the camp during the difficult period, the players and coaching staff went out for a meal to Muse, a restaurant in Yarm, on Wednesday when technical director Victor Orta did his own bit to lighten the mood.

“I didn’t organise the lunch - we organised it together. It is not always about me, it is always we,” said Karanka. “We organised it because we thought it was another thing to show that we are together.

“At the lunch there were players, the coaching staff, the medical staff, the chef, the media team, all of us. It was a good lunch. We had a quiz after the lunch which Victor Orta organised.

“The idea was to have fun, to laugh together, to forget for 15 minutes football and other things. It was funny. George Friend’s table won but it was easier for them because they had three or four English people on that table! My team finished third. I was with Victor Valdes, Marten de Roon, the doctor, and we didn’t know anything about those questions!”

Karanka was in good spirits as he chatted about the evening at Rockliffe Park during the pre-match press conference. He is clearly aware of the situation, with pressure mounting after his side slipped into the bottom three for the first time this season.

A break to play in a FA Cup quarter-final, which is heading towards being a sell-out this lunch-time, against Manchester City provides a welcome distraction and opportunity to boost morale and try to secure a place in a Wembley semi-final.

To stand any chance of overcoming Pep Guardiola’s side Middlesbrough will need to be vastly improved from the events of the last two away dates at Selhurst Park and the Bet365 Stadium.

There were poor performances from a number of players, although the displays of Gaston Ramirez were arguably the worst over the two matches. Question marks have been raised over the playmaker’s attitude because he had wanted to join Leicester City in January, only to have his move blocked.

Karanka admits the transfer window shenanigans, when the Uruguayan asked for a move only to have his request rejected, have played a part and that the challenge is to get Ramirez motoring again.

He said: “It was difficult for him to put that behind him. He wanted to join another team that were playing in the Champions League, but now he has to realise he is here, he has a contract here and the better he plays the more chance we have to stay in the Premier League and next season we will see.

“His attitude in training has been really good, he has been really positive and that is important for me when it comes to pick the squad. I would have no problem playing him on Saturday because he has shown me he can be positive.

“I have to try to show him my confidence in him. It is difficult but I try every day on the training ground. He was a really important player for us and he will be again. He is one of the best players here and he was very important for us to get promotion.

“He has to try to get over what happened in January. It was difficult for him but he has to change his mentality. He is here and he has to help us.”