Middlesbrough hammered rivals Norwich 5-1 to move up to third in the English Championship on Friday, keeping alive their faint hopes of automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Boro brought a three-game winless run to an end in emphatic fashion, running in four goals in a breathless first half before adding a fifth just after the break.

Aston Villa loanee Aaron Ramsey got things going for Boro with an early opener before Hayden Hackney added a second.

Cameron Archer scored a double late in the first half, either side of Josh Sargent hitting the net for the visitors.

The Championship's top scorer, Chuba Akpom, wrapped up the statement victory early in the second half.

Michael Carrick's Boro are five points behind second-placed Sheffield United, having played two games more.

But the heavy defeat leaves Norwich outside the play-off positions in eighth, a point behind sixth-placed Blackburn, who have two games in hand.