Middlesbrough defender George Friend has claimed that his side have the ability to go far in the FA Cup this season.

Boro have a decent record in cup competitions over the last 12 years, reaching one semi-final and six quarter-finals, in addition to the 2005-06 UEFA Cup final, since lifting the League Cup in 2004.

The club have already beaten Manchester United on their way to the League Cup quarter-final this season, while last term they knocked Manchester City out of the FA Cup before losing to eventual winners Arsenal.

Aitor Karanka's in-form side get their FA Cup campaign underway at home to fellow Championship side Burnley on Saturday, and Friend sees no reason why they cannot reach the latter stages once again.

"You've got to beat what's in front of you and earn the right to get that fixture that you want in the next round. When you see the fixture come out you do hope it's a Premier League team or someone lower down," Friend told BBC Tees.

"We've gone quite far in the League Cup so why not the FA Cup as well? It seems like an easy opportunity to get a better draw. It would have been nice to have gone straight into a league game with everyone high on confidence but the FA Cup is a special tournament and it's a competition in which we can go far.

"There's something special about the FA Cup and for the foreign boys coming in, they don't know a lot about it. They've really savoured the opportunity to go into these great grounds and play lower teams to get a flavour of English football."

Middlesbrough have reached the FA Cup final just once before, losing the 1996-97 showpiece to Chelsea at Wembley.