Owen is on call to help Santa Cruz to celebrate

Owen Hargreaves took Santa Cruz under his wing when the Paraguay forward moved to Bayern Munich in 1999. As the prospect of a switch to the Premier League arose in the summer, the advice to go to England could not have been much more persuasive.

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Santa Cruz, whose equaliser on Saturday sent Blackburn on their way to victory, said: 'Owen Hargreaves was in touch with a message after my goal. We're close because we've been together for eight years and we have a good relationship.

"I spoke to him before I came and he told me about the team at Blackburn and about the players in the Premiership. Owen recommended Blackburn to me and told me I'd be happy here.

"When I first arrived in Germany I started speaking with Owen and English was the first language I learned instead of German. For six months I only spoke English and then the manager stepped in and told me to only speak German.

"Owen also pushed me a little bit to come here. I knew that Blackburn were a team always in the middle of the table but I didn't know that much about the way they played because in Germany they always show the games between the sides at the top.

"Speaking English has helped me settle at Blackburn and to get closer to the players because you can understand their jokes and you feel part of things — even if you can't understand everything because some players speak fast and have different accents. Owen has made it much, much easier for me and it was a great way to make my debut."

Santa Cruz, a £3.5million signing from Bayern, did not start at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday. Indeed, his introduction could not have been much more low key and the circumstances could not have been much worse.

Benni McCarthy had received five minutes of frantic on-pitch treatment after collapsing following a clash of heads. He was carried off on a stretcher wearing a neck brace and an oxygen mask. Fortunately, after a hospital check, he was deemed fit enough to travel home with his team-mates.

Santa Cruz, his replacement on the hour mark, was not noticed — or at least not for three minutes, until he rose above Chris Riggott to head past Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. That turned the game on its head, cancelling out Stewart Downing's 31st-minute goal from a free-kick.

Matt Derbyshire managed to outdo Santa Cruz for impact 11 minutes from time when he curled a delightful shot into the top corner of the net with his first touch for the winner.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes said: "I didn't realise how good Roque actually was until he came through the door and he's surprised the lads with the qualities he's got.

"He's perfect for the Premier League. He's a physical guy with speed and he's found the right club at this stage of his career.

"From my experience, it can be difficult to make an impression at a big club in another country and he found it a bit difficult at Bayern. He'll really enjoy the challenge of playing for us.

"My experience can help the foreign players I bring in. I just help all of them to enjoy their time here, on and off the field.

"Roque's played all his career in Europe and that helps. Hopefully, he'll steer clear of injuries but he's going to make a huge impression for us and that's all you can ask for."

There was no such joy for Boro manager Gareth Southgate and his players, who need to build momentum quickly to keep on top of the pessimism sweeping Teesside. Their frustration boiled over at the final whistle when George Boateng kicked the ball into Morten Gamst Pedersen, causing both sets of players to get involved.

Riggott said: "I feel so down at the moment but we've got to try and be positive. The second goal was a decent finish but they were two poor goals. They've not had many more chances than that. Santa Cruz did well coming on to score but I was disappointed with him getting above me and he was involved with the second as well.

'He didn't surprise me but that's what happens when you have that stature of player on the bench, they're capable of bringing players like that on who can change games.

"It felt like it was their first shot on target and it didn't feel as though they were causing us any problems, but you have to concentrate."