Is Aitor Karanka under threat at Middlesbrough? Charlie Nicholas discusses

Charlie Nicholas has suggested Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson may have to consider Aitor Karanka's future after defeat at Stoke heightened the club's relegation fears.

The Spaniard cut a frustrated figure on the touchline at the bet365 Stadium as the Teessiders lost 2-0 - their 10th league game without a win - and dropped into the bottom three.

Boro drew a blank for the fourth successive Premier League game too, and Nicholas, watching the game for Soccer Saturday, considered whether a change may be in the pipeline.

"Aitor Karanka and his side looked lost at Stoke, lifeless at times," he said.

"Alvaro Negredo was on the touchline warming up but Karanka swapped a midfielder for a midfielder. There was no urgency to move it forward and perhaps take a gamble.

"I didn't think it was a risk, they are in the bottom three because they can't score goals or create chances.

"There is only so long we can keep saying the likes of Ben Gibson and Victor Valdes are doing well, it is not enough. Stoke were good without being brilliant, the goals were too easy.

"I wonder how tough this is for Steve Gibson, knowing how passionate he is. He is probably the best in the business at looking after his own.

"But there must come a time when he has to ask whether the manager has a vision of what is happening with this team - how to set it up and how to go and win football matches.

"His own crowd at the Riverside shout 'attack, attack', but Karanka is not going for it. It's so tame. Does Steve Gibson have to make a big decision about his manager?"

Karanka made five changes for the trip to the Potteries but they failed to have the desired effect as Boro succumbed to two first-half strikes from Marko Arnautovic.

Such was the nature of the defeat, Nicholas accused the Boro boss of unsettling a successful formula and stifling the club's quality players.

"We were complementary about Boro at the start of the season," he added.

"When they had great balance with the likes of Adam Forshaw and Adam Clayton but Karanka has disrupted that with Grant Leadbitter and Marten de Roon.

"Like all teams, Boro must think they will be fine if they get the first goal, but they do the same thing and immediately go and defend.

"I genuinely believe they have enough to stay up but if the players are being blocked and not being allowed to contribute to the game you will not win football matches.

"At the moment they need to win football matches."