AS Stewart Downing returns to London this afternoon to face his former club, Aitor Karanka hopes the Middlesbrough winger is on track to recapture the sort of form that earned him an England recall two years ago.

Downing played some of the best football of his career at Upton Park under Sam Allardyce when he was a crucial part of the Hammers’ attacking system in the 2014-15 season as a No 10.

His performances that year led to Roy Hodgson, who left after the summer disappointment at the Euros, naming the Teessider in his squad and he earned his 35th and final cap against Scotland at Celtic Park nearly two years ago.

Downing has made no secret of the fact he was unable to hit top gear during the promotion winning season in the Championship, but he has already looked more at home back in Premier League; he has been Middlesbrough’s most consistent player so far.

Karanka said: “I hope he can get to that West Ham level again with us. That’s why we brought him here. We knew his ability and last season I think was more difficult for him, it was a surprise for him and everybody how difficult it was, but now he is playing well, playing every single game so far this season so he is a good example to follow.

“To play at the top level you need to be able to understand the game as well as being a good footballer. Stewart has played hundreds of games at the top level, he has played numerous times at international level, he is a good player and he understands.”

Downing turned 32 this summer but his experience will be crucial if Middlesbrough are to stay out of the Premier League’s bottom three this season. He was drafted in to play behind the striker, although he has operated on the left and Karanka thinks he is happy there.

“He was frustrated last season, everybody was, because he came here as a homegrown player when everyone expected a lot from him,” said Karanka. “It was strange for me because I couldn’t bring him to his best. I had a lot of meetings with him because I knew how important he was for the team. We are now in the Premier League and everyone is now watching the best Stewart Downing.

“Last season was curious because I was speaking about that with a friend at home. When I was 18/19 I was playing with the second team in Bilbao in the Championship. I was training with the first team squad as well but it was much easier with the first team squad than the second division.

“Maybe there is more quality required in the higher level and I think if you have that quality then you are more suited to playing at that level. The game is quicker, you need to be intelligent, a good player, it is difficult but there are better players in the Premier League.”

While Downing is excelling at the higher level, Karanka took Daniel Ayala out of the starting line-up against Tottenham last weekend.

The Spanish defender missed a chunk of pre-season because of injury and that forced him to miss the start of the campaign too. He has more pressure on him because of the arrivals of Calum Chambers and Bernardo Espinosa.

Karanka insists Ayala should not take last weekend’s omission personally. He said: “It’s not a difficult decision to put one player on the bench, it's to think who is going to play because I have to think ‘what is best for the team?’

“If I have to think, or to be upset, because I put one player on the bench now we are in the Premier League, maybe I would have played with the first players who I had here because their attitude was always perfect but I have to think what is the best team for the games.

“They know that if they are choosing 11 players maybe I am making a mistake but it is not anything against them. I have to try to pick the best XI.

“I came here almost three years ago and we didn't have amazing quality but we had 11 fighters on the pitch. I want 11 fighters on the pitch because with 11 fighters on the pitch, with our quality, we are going to win games. The best example was the last 35 minutes last Saturday.”