Middlesbrough have two unique challenges as they look to kickstart their season at Sunderland

While Middlesbrough's start to the season has been a marked improvement on recent years, there's still a sense of things not quite clicking yet for Michael Carrick's side.

Though only beaten once in their opening five, they only have two wins so far and it's hard not to escape the sense of frustration that the eight-point tally amassed heading into Saturday's Wear-Tees derby with Sunderland should be more. In so many of the key metrics, Boro have dominated games.

However, as the frustrating draw last weekend against Preston North End showed, they've so far lacked a ruthless edge in the final third of the pitch to make their promising early performances count for more points. While that can be a source of frustration, it's also a positive that Boro are largely doing everything right and ultimately just waiting for that final piece of the puzzle to fall into place for them. In that sense, you could hardly think up a better opportunity than a potential confidence-boosting away win at rivals Sunderland to really kickstart things.

READ MORE: Predicted Middlesbrough team vs Sunderland with a few changes pondered for the Wear-Tees derby

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What's particularly intriguing about the challenge that Boro face against Sunderland is the expectation that Boro won't be facing a Preston-like system aimed at allowing Boro to have more of the ball while looking to limit space in the final third and hit on the transition. That's a theme of every game that Boro have so far struggled in.

Instead, in front of a packed-out Stadium of Light, Sunderland will be expected to try and take the game to Boro and, if Carrick's side can stand up to the test from a defensive point of view, there could be space in the final third to exploit. That could work in Boro's favour and it's surely no coincidence that, Leeds United cup win included, Boro's three wins so far this term have come in the only three games in which they've had less possession than their opponents.

There's an added element to this one, of course. This is no ordinary game. That the Stadium of Light will have at least 2,000 more Sunderland fans than their first two games of the season is a testament, despite what many on Wearside try and say, that there is that little extra edge on this game.

In that sense, when assessing the key to winning a game like this, Carrick said: “It’s both [about mentality and football]. There is so much now that goes into a game and every season that ticks away there is more and more detail, more preparation ahead of a match than there ever has been.

"There is a balance between having the fire, excitement and anticipation, but certainly knowing what it will take on the pitch to do the job and make good decisions. That’s the challenge ahead for everyone involved. The belief is there and we’re excited about how we can keep improving and getting results. But we know Saturday is a big challenge against a good team who are playing well.”

Sunderland are playing well, or at least they were before they lost at Plymouth Argyle last weekend. Michael Carrick was planning on giving his good friend and former team-mate Wayne Rooney a phone call to pick his brain after their second-half turnaround at Home Park.

As he hands out his instructions for the game, it will then be up to his players to go out on that pitch and implement them. In that regard, he's confident his players will play the game and not the occasion - with nothing changing as far as preparation is concerned, even if there was a little extra buzz around Rockliffe this week.

“Most of the boys have played in these type of games before," Carrick said. "We’ve got some younger players, but largely they’ve all experienced big games and big atmospheres. There’ll be little things I can help them with, bits of advice to give here and there - that’s my job.

"For the love of the game, big games and what they bring - the anticipation, the emotion, the excitement… you’ve got to use it, you’ve got to thrive off it and channel it in the right way. You’ve got to manage the emotions and control them to use them in the best way. But certainly, the feelings going into a game like this is why we’re involved in football.

"You try and pick the right times to say certain things. But largely, I think the boys know what it means and what it takes, but also what it means to us as far as the bigger picture is concerned and what we’re trying to achieve. I’ve sensed the same feeling all the way through, to be honest.

"Certainly, there is a natural feel to this week and what’s at the end of it. But I think all the way through, since the boys came back for pre-season, there’s been a good feeling. There are not many days we’ve come in from training and as staff felt the boys have been a little bit flat.

"The boys have been really good and positive right the way through. Of course, this week is a little bit different, but I wouldn’t say we’ve done anything anything different in terms of preparation. Naturally, the emotion takes over a little bit more and gives you that extra little spring."

Don't mistake Carrick's naturally humble downplaying as a misunderstanding of the size of the occasion, though. From the North East himself, and with three meetings with Sunderland already since he took over at Boro, he gets it - and he hopes he'll be celebrating again come Saturday night - like after their last visit to the Stadium of Light.

“Of course, I enjoy it," he said. "I’m from the North East, born in Newcastle and supported Newcastle United growing up. There’s no getting away from that. So, from my side of things, there’s a little in that. But come Saturday, will that make a difference? Absolutely not. I’ll be focused purely on the game and what I need to do to help the boys get a result. We’ll see what happens after that and if we can enjoy it.”

Hopefully Boro can enjoy it - another win on Wearside that is. Not only can they enjoy it in the immediate aftermath, but they can use it to propel their season onto new levels after a start to the season that, while by no means poor, is not yet quite living up to pre-season expectations.

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