'A bit tetchy' - Chris Wilder compares Aaron Connolly to former Liverpool and Newcastle United star

Connolly joined Middlesbrough on loan from Brighton last January and has helped the Teesiders to fifth in the Championship table as they continue their push for promotion.

Connolly, 22, has scored just twice in 13 league appearances but his overall play and willingness to battle for the team has impressed Wilder.

The Ireland international was struggling for game time at Brighton and the loan to the Riverside Stadium seems to have refreshed the striker.

Connolly has an aggressive style of play and makes life difficult for defenders - it has prompted Wilder to compare his loanee to Bellamy who was also known for his feisty style.

"Aaron is a little bit tetchy and I quite like that," said Wilder. "He maybe chucks his arms up in the air a few more times than I would ideally like, but I think that just shows the aggressive part of his game.

"You don’t want to take that away from him. Craig Bellamy was a bit like that at times, you saw him and he was an angry young man at times, but that was probably when he was producing his best performances.

"It’s possibly the same with Aaron. He wants to score and do well, which is great. I’d much prefer it that way than somebody who would just come up here for three months to have a bit of a break away from Brighton. They all want to do well, which is great."

Wilder was also asked if you would like to keep Connolly after his initial loan period expires this summer. The striker remains contracted with Albion until June 2024.

He said: “It’s not something we’ve thought about. We’re working away behind the scenes, in terms of looking at potential things that could happen, and that’s something we always have to do in terms of medium and long-term planning. We’ll consider outs and ins, and there’ll inevitably be changes in the summer.

"It’s the second window in, and while it’ll still be a difficult window, it should be an easier one than January in terms of getting the squad to what we want it to look like. But in terms of the specifics, we’re wanting to focus on the here and now, and we’ve not really talked to players about contract situations.

"We want the full focus on the job in hand, which is obviously trying to get into the play-offs. Let’s not get ourselves distracted. There’s been no conversation, but there have been more general discussions about what direction we want to go in and we’ll keep that going."