Nigeria Captain Obi Mikel Reacts After Starring On Middlesbrough Debut

John Obi Mikel was delighted to make his competitive debut for Middlesbrough as they were held to a 1-1 draw by EFL League Two club Newport County in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

The Chelsea hero last featured in a competitive match on October 28, 2018 before stepping out onto the Riverside Stadium turf from the beginning of the game vs Newport County.

Mikel showed glimpses of his quality in the 62 minutes he spent on the pitch and revealed his satisfaction at getting some minutes under his belt after three months of inactivity.

''I thought the performance was good,''  Mikel was quoted as saying by Boro's official webpage.

''When you play these games, we were one up, we controlled the game and it’s one of those games where if you sit back you can get caught out and that’s what happened.

''The team played really well, it’s a good start for me and hopefully we can carry on from here.

''Today was good and hopefully I can get a few more games to get sharper and help the team a bit more.''

Today's match against Newport County was Mikel's 373rd appearance for the English clubs he has represented.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : mfc.co.uk