By Chris Burton Last updated: 1st August 2008
Digard: Impressive pre-season
Gareth Southgate has challenged Didier Digard to fulfil his potential at Middlesbrough next season.
Boro recently paid £4million to lure the Frenchman away from Paris St Germain, and have been impressed by his showings in pre-season.
A spectacular winner in a 2-1 victory at Carlisle on Tuesday went some way to demonstrating why the North East outfit value the youngster so highly.
The 22-year-old was well short of match fitness on his arrival on Teesside, but is doing his best to push himself into contention for a starting role at the Riverside Stadium ahead of the big kick-off in August.
"I was very pleased with Didier at Carlisle," Southgate told the Evening Gazette.
"We saw quality in his football and he showed he has the ability to keep possession under pressure.
"He is a thinking footballer in the way in which he can change his mind and his direction once one option is closed off to him.
"He can deal with potentially troublesome situations by turning out of them. He was a little more up to speed against Carlisle than he has been. It was more of what we were looking for from him.
"Didier is still adjusting to the pace of the game here, but this was a really encouraging performance from him.
"We are aware that he needs time to adjust to the Premier League but he is already taking strides forward and I'm sure he will keep it going.
"Once he is fully back into the swing then I'm sure he will show everybody what a good player he can be."
Digard was seen as a replacement for the outgoing George Boateng on his arrival and could be handed an opportunity to make the holding midfield role his own over the coming months.

Latest Sky Sports News Report
Championship Round-Up - 7th November
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ferguson
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd - Ancelotti
Hull 2-1 Stoke - Bullard
West Ham v Everton - 1st Half
Wigan v Fulham - 2nd Half
Wigan v Fulham - 1st Half
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Burnley |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Sunderland |
| 17:30 | Aston Villa vs Tottenham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd | |
| West Ham 1 - 2 Everton | |
| Wigan 1 - 1 Fulham | |
| Hull 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
Chelsea snatched a significant win, Arsenal rose to second while Phil Brown's Hull left it late.
Skysports.com looks at the best and worst moments from the latest round of top-flight fixtures.
Have a read through the skysports.com debate on Chelsea's 1-0 win over Man Utd at Stamford Bridge.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United will revel in their quest to topple Chelsea from the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas is refusing to get carried away by his side's free-scoring form.
Rafa Benitez has revealed that Steven Gerrard could return to the Liverpool fold against Birmingham.
Jimmy Bullard has revealed that all the Hull City players are in full support of Phil Brown's management of the club.
Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Didier Drogba sustained a slight knock against Manchester United.