McDonald played 75 minutes on Saturday as Boro defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 to move into the Championship lead after Brighton's defeat at Leicester City.

However, the Socceroo told BBC Sport he wasn't getting carried away with their unbeaten start to the season.

“Not excited at it at all at the moment. Just got to take it one game at a time,” McDonald said. “We're delighted, we want to keep this unbeaten run going. But there's a lot of games to go.”

McDonald said Boro boss Tony Mowbray had been behind the team's improved form this term and added his mixed past with the gaffer was long forgotten.

Mowbray was behind the Australian's exit from Celtic when he left to join Boro, before the gaffer eventually followed him to the Riverside.

However, McDonald insisted those issues were history.

"There's no issue, we are all professionals, we have our own opinions, and things change as well," McDonald said.

"People grow, and when you spend more time with other people, there are certain things you realise and a mutual respect grows as well.

"I have really taken on board what the gaffer is trying to do and I'm really enjoying it. We're really enjoying his philosophies and what he wants us to do.”

McDonald has been in good form this term but has only managed one goal and he added: “At the minute my all round game has been pretty good, but it's just sticking the ball in the net that's not quite there yet.

"It's a part of my game that I'm confident that will come and there'll be chances if we keep playing the way we are."

The Socceroo missed a fortnight with a hamstring injury which kept him out of Australia's World Cup qualifiers against Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

McDonald has had previous issues with his hamstrings and admitted he needed to improve the way he manages the problem.

“I have to be now it's re-occurring. This time it was the left one, at the end of last season it was the right one,” he said.

“It's about managing it a little bit better, especially when we've got midweek games in between the weekend ones.

“In both cases, it's been in the third game of a week I've broken down, so we need to manage it better.”