Turkey international Tuncay has been one of Middlesbrough's best performers in a difficult season and his performances have been recognised by Boro boss Gareth Southgate. He told the Evening Gazette: "Look at the example that Tuncay has set. How can people say foreign players don't care?

"Tuncay was absolutely tireless against Fulham, and he's been the same way for some time.

"People talk about foreign players and say they don't care as much as the homegrown players.

"But you've only got to look at Tuncay to see that's not the case. He's given every ounce of energy he has to this club.

"Maybe that's what you'd expect because we knew when we signed him that we'd got ourselves a player who was a winner.

"He's an example to everybody at the club that there's no such thing as a lost cause and that you've got to keep going all the way through a game."