Three things we learnt from Middlesbrough’s 2-1 victory over Sunderland

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Adam Clayton looks every inch a Premier League midfielder

This is Adam Clayton’s first opportunity in the Premier League after plying his trade in the lower leagues for his entire career, and he looks set to grab it with both hands. He came through the ranks at Manchester City, but was never given an opportunity at the club. Against Sunderland, he was everywhere, making key tackles and generally unsettling the opposing midfield.

He successfully made seven tackles as he showed his tenacity in the middle of the park and that will be crucial for Middlesbrough as the season progresses. On Sunday, Clayton had a bigger task than usual, as both Grant Leadbitter and Marten de Roon were absent, which placed a lot of the emphasis on him to retrieve the ball. He stepped up and looks like he will do well at this level. On the ball he was effective and rarely lost it, with a pass success rate of 86.7%. It was an encouraging midfield display from the 27-year-old and Boro fans will be hoping he can consistently deliver that level of performance.