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Tuncay may save Middlesbrough’s season after the Turk further rubber-stamped his credentials with the winner at Derby’s Pride Park.

The 25-year-old has taken four months to find his feet in the Premier League but now he has grasped the nettle with three goals in three games, and suddenly looks every bit a quality player.

Skipper George Boateng said: “Tunçay was always a good player. You could see at the start of the season, he was lightning quick, you could see he had something about him. I spoke to old team-mates of mine in Holland who played for AZ Alkmaar against Fenerbahçe and they all said he’s an unbelieveable player and that we were very lucky to have him.

“Then he had a bit of a dip because he needed the settling time and the language, but now he is probably our best attacking player. I thought he took the goal very well. It came really unexpected. It was just what we needed because that was the gameplan – wait for the opportunity and then defend very well.”

The major difference over the past few weeks is that Gareth Southgate finally seems to have found the right position for Tunçay. The Turkish international arrived on Teesside with a terrific goalscoring record from his regular roles with Fenerbahçe, playing either on the right flank or in the ‘hole’ behind two strikers.

Boro didn’t seem to be able to slot him into the side and maintain the balance – but Southgate’s decision to give Tunçay a free role is now paying major dividends. So much so that Tunçay has helped turned the team’s season around – and formed an immediate rapport with the Teesside fans. Boateng said: “The fans took to from him the first day. They were looking for a goalscorer. I think the combination between him and Jeremie (Aliadiere) is very good, one coming short, one going long. It is making it really difficult for defenders to pick them up.

“Tunçay is a smashing guy. For someone to come from that league and adapt here is really difficult. Early on, we offered him the talk, but he preferred to learn by himself because he wanted to try hard to understand the language. We liked him from the very first day.

“His English is progressing very well, better than some players who have been here longer. Why? Because he strives. Once you understand and communicate with the players you are feeling more at home and you play better.”

Tunçay’s winner came in the 38th minute, when he connected with a pinpoint Stewart Downing cross and volleyed home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box.

It was the mark of a man playing with confidence and Southgate said: “A few weeks ago Tunçay wouldn’t have even attempted that. It shows how much he has come on and the effect it is having on the whole team.”

Boro have now moved four points clear of the bottom three, but nobody will get carried away after this victory against a hard working but surely doomed Derby side.

In fact, if not for a couple of fine saves from goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, Boro would have won much more comfortably. Bywater made an early save to keep out an angled shot from Gary O’Neil, and made a stunning stop from a Downing shot early in the second half after Tunçay had put him through.

Boateng also headed against a post while Jeremie Aliadiere had a goal disallowed in the closing minutes for alleged handball.

The game bore no resemblance to Boro’s glorious defeat of Arsenal six days earlier, but Southgate’s men always faced the prospect of having a to grind out the three points in a match where new boss Paul Jewell was taking charge of the Rams for the first time at Pride Park.

It gave Boro two wins on the bounce and they can take another huge stride away from the danger area if they can overcome West Ham at the Riverside on Saturday.

Boateng said: “We are heading in the right direction. For me, it was Derby away so let’s not take too much away from this except the three points. Arsenal was a good performance and a good result and now we have to reproduce that against West Ham next week.

“I’ll enjoy this, but it’s finished, let’s move on. I enjoyed more the game against Arsenal because of the team performance and the team effort. Saturday was more about doing the job.”

DERBY COUNTY: Bywater; Mears, Davis, Moore, Griffin (McEveley 29), Teale (Howard 56), Oakley, Leacock, Pearson, Barnes, Miller (Earnshaw 74). Subs (not used): Price, Lewis.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer; Young, Wheater, Woodgate, Pogatetz, O’Neil, Boateng, Rochemback, Downing (Johnson 89), Aliadiere, Tunçay. Subs (not used): Turnbull, Huth, Lee, Cattermole.

Goal: Tunçay 38.

Attendance: 32,676.

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).