Lankshear's Double Helps Boro Beat Charlton 3-0

Will Lankshear scored twice as Middlesbrough beat Charlton Athletic 3-0, and the striker is now on 15 goals in 16 games for the club in all competitions.

Lankshear joined Middlesbrough from Tottenham over the summer. In the Championship, England's second tier, he has scored 13 goals in 13 appearances. Middlesbrough are top of the table.

He has also scored in almost every home game at the Riverside, the club's stadium, finding the net in all but one. Seven of his goals have come in five matches since the September international break, the pause when club football gives way to national team games. Four of those came in his last two outings, against Bolton Wanderers and Charlton.

Head coach Kim Hellberg was full of praise. Speaking to BBC Radio Tees, he called Lankshear "fantastic" and "a brilliant lad". He said the striker had also become better at defending and pressing, which means chasing opponents and winning the ball back high up the pitch.

Then there is England. Thomas Tuchel, the England head coach, said he would never rule out picking players who are not in the Premier League, the top division. The England squad for the Nations League games against Spain and Croatia later this month is due to be named on Friday. The Nations League is a competition between European national teams.

Lankshear was part of the England Under-21 side last month. On whether he will be in Tuchel's plans, Hellberg said he had "no clue". He added that he leaves the worrying about call-ups to other people.

For Middlesbrough supporters, the immediate question is simpler. Can the goals keep coming, and can the team stay at the top?