Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has called for his players to keep calm following Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Everton in the Premier League.

Boro led in the 21st minute at Goodison Park courtesy of an own goal from Maarten Stekelenburg, but Everton turned things around on home soil to continue their unbeaten start to the new campaign.

Karanka has insisted that Boro will take points off the big sides in the division, but expects the club's battle for survival to come down to a mini-league involving the likes of Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Stoke City.

"I don't think our league is Everton. For sure we are going to beat teams at the top of the table because I don't want to say we will lose to the teams at the top or give them three points as a present," Karanka told reporters.

"We are going to compete for every single point but we have to be honest and we have to be fair and Everton is not our league. Our league was last week - Crystal Palace, West Brom, Sunderland and, though I didn't think at the beginning, Stoke.

"We have to keep calm, remember where we were last season, the squad we have and to see that Everton had to play their best to beat us."

Middlesbrough, who were promoted from the Championship last season, currently sit 13th in the Premier League table on five points.