MIDDLESBROUGH boss Aitor Karanka has hailed Eddie Howe as "one of the best managers in the league".

Karanka's troops will take on Howe's Cherries tomorrow (12.15pm) with both teams hoping to further their promotion credentials.

And Karanka launched a charm offensive when asked if he had been surprised by Cherries' efforts in the Championship this term.

He told the Evening Gazette: "It's not a surprise for me – Bournemouth have been working for the past three or four years with the same manager. I like Eddie (Howe) a lot because I think he's one of the best managers in the league.

"Last season for me was a surprise because I didn't know them but 14 or 15 months later, it's no surprise.

"They work as a team. The manager and his staff have done a great job because they're building a team with maybe no recognised players, maybe not very expensive players, but they're building a team.

"I have the same mentality to build a team instead of just having really good players. They are scoring always four or five goals so they're a good team at home but we go there with six more points and full of confidence.

"It will be a tough game but we go there thinking we can beat them. We need to play with the same intensity as did at Derby to achieve something."