Saville proves the difference as Boro return to winning ways

When the Middlesbrough manager made Saville one of his key transfer targets in early August, most supporters were surprised to see him prioritising the purchase of another central midfielder ahead of what were considered to be more pressing requirements in other positions.

When his initial attempt to sign the Northern Ireland international was rejected by Millwall, there was more bemusement when Pulis returned to the table in an attempt to land Saville on loan, even though he was constantly talking about the need to sign wingers.

Was another central midfielder really a priority? On the evidence of his match-winning performance last night, perhaps signing Saville will turn out to have been a master-stroke. More attack-minded and mobile than his team-mates in the central third, the 25-year-old could be the link between midfield and attack that has been missing on a number of occasions already this season.

His first-half effort set Middlesbrough on their way against a well-organised but ultimately limited Bolton side, and his all-round performance on his first Boro start oozed class and authority. If he can maintain the same standard for the rest of the season, the £6m permanent fee that has already been agreed for next summer will look a bargain.

Saville’s display was the main difference between the sides, with Britt Assombalonga adding a second goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, as Boro put their weekend setback at Norwich City behind them to reclaim second position.

They weren’t always fluent as they returned to winning ways, but they got the job done. And despite Pulis’ decision to revert to a flat back four, they were also able to celebrate a fourth successive home clean sheet. So far this season, Boro have played 360 minutes of Championship football at the Riverside without conceding a goal.

Ever since the final days of the transfer window, there was a sense that Pulis was itching to tinker with his team. Saturday’s defeat at Norwich gave him the opportunity to enact an overhaul, and it duly arrived via a switch of both personnel and formation.

Not only did Saville make his full Middlesbrough debut, but Jordan Hugill also made his first league start and Martin Braithwaite returned to the starting line-up with his rehabilitation in the wake of his failed transfer request seemingly complete.

Assombalonga was the most obvious casualty of the reshuffle – Boro’s record signing has never been one of Pulis’ favourites – although the switch to a flat back four also necessitated Dael Fry’s omission from the starting XI. The England Under-21 international can count himself unfortunate to have been dropped.

In truth, Boro didn’t even need four defenders such was the paucity of Bolton’s attacking ambition, but while the hosts dominated possession from the outset, it took them more than half-an-hour to make their superiority count.

Unlike their opponents, Bolton did opt for a five-man backline, and for most of the first half, the visitors made a decent job of frustrating Boro’s attacking efforts. Hugill found himself shackled by both ‘Redcar rock’ David Wheater and Mark Beevers, and while George Friend and Ryan Shotton made repeated surges down their respective flanks, a succession of balls into the box foundered as Bolton’s muscular defence held firm.

Hugill felt he should have been awarded a penalty when he went down under a challenge from Beevers midway through the first half – having been furious at the lack of a spot-kick during Saturday’s defeat at Norwich, Pulis looked like he might spontaneously combust as he vented his anger once again on the touchline – and Jonny Howson fired over moments later after twisting inside his marker.

Even so, Boro did not really look like scoring until one of their former players gave them a huge helping hand. Gary O’Neil made 120 Boro appearances in a three-and-a-half year spell between 2007-11, but in all that time, he did not come up with an assist that was anything like as effective as the one he produced last night.

Receiving the ball inside his own area after Stewart Downing’s shot had been blocked, the 35-year-old inexplicably tried to roll a pass back to his own goalkeeper. It never looked like reaching its intended recipient, and after Wheater inadvertently blocked it, George Saville gleefully pounced on the loose ball to sweep home his first goal since his summer move from Millwall.

Saville was neat and tidy throughout his first Boro appearance at the Riverside, and his goal added an extra spring to his team-mates’ steps. Shotton fired in a low effort that former Sunderland goalkeeper Ben Alnwick did well to turn around the post, and Braithwaite hammered a rising drive narrowly over the crossbar as the first half ended with the hosts well on top.

Bolton failed to record a single effort at goal before the interval, but they finally threatened seven minutes into the second half, with former Boro full-back Jonathan Grounds firing over after Pawel Olkowski’s blocked shot fell invitingly into his path.

That was a difficult opportunity, but the visitors spurned a much better one on the hour mark. Grounds’ deflected shot fell invitingly for Josh Vela, but the striker could only direct a tame side-footed effort straight at Darren Randolph. Either side of the Boro goalkeeper, and he would undoubtedly have scored.

Saville almost doubled his personal tally at the start of the second half, chesting the ball down before volleying narrowly wide, and the Northern Ireland international already looks a decent addition to Middlesbrough’s midfield mix.

More attack-minded and mobile than either Howson or Mo Besic, it is easy to see why Pulis was so desperate to resurrect his interest in the 25-year-old after his initial attempt to sign him permanently proved unsuccessful. He even proved his value in the defensive third late on, sliding in superbly to block a goal-bound effort from Josh Magennis.

While Saville’s attacking runs were always a threat, Boro needed a second goal to put the game to bed. Aden Flint had the ball in the net midway through the second half, but was in an offside position as he prodded home after George Friend’s low strike rebounded off the post.

Assombalonga came off the bench with 14 minutes left, and added the coup de grace in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Galloping clear after Marc Wilson failed to deal with a long ball, the substitute calmly slotted past Alnwick.