Zack Steffen left Manchester City over the summer to join Middlesbrough on a season-long loan and it’s unlikely the 27-year-old will make another appearance for the Sky Blues again, but he’s not licking his wounds if Saturday’s performance against Blackburn Rovers is anything to go by.
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Steffen was on the losing side as Middlesbrough lost 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium, but the score could have been even worse if not for the US international between the sticks. He made four saves on the day and was named Man of the Match by BBC Sport.
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Steffen was good distributing the ball, completing 82.6% of his passes. He was beaten by an own goal from close range and by a wonderstrike from distance but was assured otherwise.
The 27-year-old saved one close-range opportunity with his feet, tipped a close-range header over the bar and made a brilliant lunging tackle to beat the ball away from Ben Brereton when he had a one-on-one.
Steffen has made 10 Championship appearances for Boro since making the switch over the summer, conceding 14 goals with two clean sheets. The 27-year-old has saved 66.7% of the 42 shots on target faced which puts him in the middle of Championship goalkeepers, but his performance over the weekend will have earned him supporters.
Steffen is due to return to City next summer, but Stefan Ortega’s arrival means he’s unlikely to play. Nevertheless, showings like on Saturday will put him in the shop window.
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