The best and fastest football news aggregator for the UK
Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick is not expecting an “ordinary league game” as his side chases a play-off spot on the final day of the Championship season.
Boro must win away to sixth-placed Coventry City, who sit in the final play-off berth, to have any chance of continuing their season beyond Saturday.
Even if they are victorious at the CBS Arena, they will have to rely on Blackburn Rovers and
Boro finished fourth in Carrick’s first season two years ago, only to lose to Coventry in the play-off semi-finals.
Last year, they were eighth and four points adrift. Now they are one of six sides still competing for the last two play-off places.
The Boro boss is preferring to focus on three seasons of consistent work in a notoriously competitive division.
“History shows that over the last 15 years, it’s
Middlesbrough are now two points behind Coventry with five games to go as they head to The Den on Saturday.
Alex Neil’s Lions have catapulted themselves into play-off contention after a shock win at Sheffield United on Tuesday, leaving them only three points adrift of Boro.
It is getting towards crunch time as games run out in the battle to make the top six but Carrick is calling upon his
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has been speaking to BBC Radio Tees ahead of Tuesday’s vital Championship clash with Leeds United (20:00 BST).
Here are the main takeaways from his press conference:
The club are “still looking” at the injury Neto Borges suffered in the 2-0 win at Blackburn on Friday. “It looked like a really bad twist,” Carrick said. “Unfortunate really, Neto’s been fantastic for us. We will see how
Middlesbrough’s injury crisis in central defence is showing signs of easing ahead of their game with Oxford United on Saturday.
Rav van den Berg is back in training after a knee injury, although head coach Michael Carrick will still have to make a call on him before the game.
George Edmundson could return to training next week but Dael Fry’s return from a calf injury is a little further away.
With Neto moved across into the middle, on-loan Aston Villa winger Samuel Iling-Junior has been pressed into service at left-back.
But it is the desire of his players to do a job for the team that has struck a chord with the Boro boss.
“A lot of it comes down to your mentality and your approach to it,” said Carrick.
“Some are not too keen and are almost put off
Sunderland remain in striking distance in fourth as they prepare to welcome Norwich, aiming to extend their unbeaten home run to 11 games against a Canaries side who are winless in seven away games since September.
Blackburn head to managerless Millwall in search of a seventh straight league win while Middlesbrough will try to keep their grip on a play-off place as they make the longest trip of the weekend
Emmanuel Latte Lath led the way at the Kassam Stadium with a hat-trick to make it five goals in three games, having managed just two in the previous 13.
The Ivory Coast striker is back towards the player who grabbed 18 goals in his debut campaign on Teesside last season.
But with Scotland teenager Ben Doak again impressing, Finn Azaz scoring twice and Tommy Conway getting on the scoresheet off
Doak gave Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol a torrid time down the right wing at Hampden Park as Scotland overcame Croatia in the Nations League last Friday leading to plenty of attention on the youngster.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Championship trip to Oxford United, Carrick added: “There’s no getting away from it, Ben’s having a really good time of it at the moment. He’s playing some good football and
“He hadn’t played a lot of senior football at all, he has played eight games in a row for us, so there is a lot of managing needed to be done,” he added.
Middlesbrough have won five of their 12 league games so far this season, but going further back into last term, they have lost only two of their last 12 home league games.
“We have got a good