Millwall boss Gary Rowett has been hugely impressed by Michael Carrick's impact on Teesside and says Middlesbrough are now in the position he expected them to be in at the start of the season - pushing for promotion.

And he believes Boro's chances have been further boosted by the signing of Cameron Archer on loan from Aston Villa.

Boro welcome Rowett's Lions to the Riverside on Saturday with both sides in the Championship's play-off places, only separated by goal difference.

Millwall eased to a 2-0 victory when these sides met in October but Boro have been transformed since, soaring up the table under Carrick and climbing into the play-off places. Millwall, too, have gone on a mini charge, with Boro one of only six teams to have picked up more points over the course of the last six games.

Rowett is relishing the challenge of facing a much-improved Boro at the Riverside.

He told South London Press: “If you look at two of the teams in the division that are in form and really pushing for the top six, you’d expect with their quality, then you’d say West Brom and Middlesbrough are those two teams.

“Michael has gone into Middlesbrough where they have had the quality and they’ve had the squad there, but not necessarily found the right ingredients. For sure, he seems to have had a huge impact. You can see that in some of the results and some of the performances.

“It will be a really tough game. It would be at any point but going there when they are in good form and on the up adds to the challenge. But that’s what the division is about. We found that same challenge going somewhere like Preston. People said they had hardly conceded any goals and we found an answer. Watford were on a good run of form. The challenge doesn’t change.

“But from afar I’ve been very impressed by the job that Michael has done. His team look to be in confident form at the moment.”

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Carrick must decide whether to hand Archer his first start after the forward signed on loan from Villa last week, a capture that caught the eye of Millwall chief Rowett.

He said: “They have pushed the boat out to get that type of quality of player in because I think there was quite a bit of interest in the Championship. I certainly don’t think it was a deal that we’d have been able to match.

“This is what you’re up against in this division. But that’s been the same for the last three years. We’re trying to find those little extra differences which can keep us challenging at the right end of the table.

“He’s certainly a very good player. He showed that at Preston on loan and at Aston Villa with his brief appearances. I’m sure Middlesbrough will look to strengthen in a good run of form going into this window.”