Aitor Karanka is confident that his Middlesbrough side have enough quality to stay top of the Championship, after battling to a point in Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham City.
Patrick Bamford grabbed a 74th-minute equaliser to cancel out Paul Caddis's first-half penalty as 10-man Boro - who had Dimitrios Konstantopoulos sent off before the break - moved one point clear of Bournemouth at the summit.
Asked if his troops could stay top, the Spaniard told Sky Sports News: "I am confident because of the work that the players are doing.
"They have been working every single day to reach this position and now we are in this position we have to defend especially with the character that we showed in the second half."
Boro, who were relegated from the Premier League in the 2008-09 campaign, face Leeds United at the Riverside on Saturday.
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