We Are Middlesbrough

The Riverside will play host to a game with interest at both ends of the table as Derby visit Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Boro stopped the rot after five straight league defeats with a 3-1 win at Stoke in midweek and are still only four points behind fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion, despite having briefly slipped into the bottom-half last weekend.

The Rams are winless since Boxing Day and have scored just two goals in their past nine games to slide to second-bottom, four points from safety.

• Middlesbrough have won just two of their past nine league games against Derby County (D4 L3), though both victories in that time have come at the Riverside Stadium.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in August, Derby County are looking to record a first league double over Middlesbrough since the 1988-89 season.

• Middlesbrough have lost their past two home league games, last losing three in a row at the Riverside Stadium in April 2022.

• Derby have failed to win any of their past 11 league games, suffering nine defeats in that time (D2). They last had a longer run between September 2007 and August 2008 (36 games).

• Derby have failed to score in each of their past three league games, last having a longer run without a goal in March 2021 (4).

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has been speaking to BBC Radio Tees ahead of the Championship clash with Derby County at the Riverside on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Here are the key takeaways from his pre-match press conference:

• The fitness of centre-backs George Edmundson and Rav van den Berg will be assessed after they both picked up injuries in the past two games. Jonny Howson, Riley McGree and Ben Doak all remain out.

• Carrick is "delighted" for Marcus Forss who scored his first goal since returning from an injury lay-off in the 3-1 win at Stoke on Tuesday.

• The head coach said: "He's worked hard to get back in and around it, to get back to fitness and it was a good moment for him. I thought he played really well the other night. His goal was a fantastic finish."

• On the mood around the squad after ending a run of five straight defeats: "It's been good, honestly I've not noticed a massive difference, especially around the boys. The way they've behaved and the energy and the noise around the place, it's still there. Certainly on the inside, it's a nicer feeling."

• On facing Derby: "It will be a challenging game for us. They're near the bottom of the league and they've got a lot to play for and a lot to fight for. They made it difficult for us when we played them at their home."

• Carrick added: "We definitely know what we're in for. We're not getting carried away by any stretch by the fact we've won one game and all of a sudden everything's great - it's one step at a time."

• On trying to build momentum: "Momentum is big. It went against us for a period of time and we need to create that. It's only us that can do that by winning games ultimately. It's not going to be created by one day or two days, it's over a period of time. We have to have all eyes on this and not get too far ahead of ourselves."

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway says the 3-1 win at Stoke City on Tuesday night "means everything" to the team after ending a run of five straight defeats.

Boro eased the pressure around Michael Carrick with victory in the Potteries that moved them back within four points of the play-off spots.

"Everyone knows the run we've been on hasn't been a good one over the past couple of weeks and we've been trying to put it right but for some reason it hasn't been falling for us," Conway told BBC Radio Tees.

"But I thought everyone put in a fantastic performance. Credit to everyone, I'm just buzzing for everyone that we've managed to come away with three points."

Conway was on the scoresheet at the bet365 Stadium for the second game in a row and took his Championship goal tally for the season into double figures.

The 22-year-old scored 12 in all competitions, in each of his two previous campaigns with Bristol City, but is now on-pace to eclipse that personal best.

The Scotland international is helping fill the void left by Emmanuel Latte Lath's departure and says he is "100%" hitting form now after a five-week absence because of a hamstring injury.

"Getting back into the rhythm of playing games week in, week out - we know the relentlessness of the Championship," Conway added.

"I'm just trying to do my job and score goals. I feel like I'm getting better and better every game and hopefully that continues."

Conway also believes Middlesbrough can get their play-off bid back on track and continue to close the four-point gap to the top six with struggling Derby County the visitors to the Riverside on Saturday.

"When we're not winning football matches, we're not doing our jobs and it affects us," Conway added.

"When you win games, it ultimately goes the other way and you start getting your confidence back and everyone starts believing again.

"If we take that into the next couple of games leading up to the international break, I think we'll be right up there."

Listen to Tommy Conway's interview following the win at Stoke on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick says a first win in six has delivered a "big boost" to his squad.

The Boro head coach told BBC Radio Tees: "We can take a lot from it. I think the boys will feel that and hopefully it will give them a big boost. We have to do it all again on Saturday but we are certainly going in in a good frame of mind after this.

"It wasn't so much the result it was how we got it and how we played, the expression and that confidence on the back of a run we've had. It would have been easy to go safe but I thought they have done the absolute opposite and shown real personality and class and belief in each other.

"I think the way the boys bounced back from that moment [the equaliser] which was another moment which could have gone the other way. They could have thought is it a lead we have not capitalised on but no, they doubled down went forward and scored some really good goals.

"It is just a really really good night and it has been a long time coming but it is a deserved one. We can take a lot from tonight."

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Ben Doak could be back in full training for Middlesbrough next week according to manager Michael Carrick.

The Boro boss ruled out any involvement for Doak, or for midfielder Riley McGree, for Saturday's home Championship game with Derby County, but indicated that the Liverpool loanee, who has missed the last four games through injury, is nearing a return.

Boro desperately need a spark to arrest a slide which has seen them lose six of their last seven Championship games to fall from fifth to 13th and lie seven points off the play-off places, and Doak's absence has been one factor in that slump.

Carrick confirmed that Ryan Giles is fit for Tuesday night's trip to Stoke but said Doak and McGree would take longer.

"Ben will be in and around it at some point, maybe next week without putting too much of a deadline on it," he added.

"Everyone's waiting to see when he's fit, I get that, but he's not too far away."

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Carrick says the fact that his Middlesbrough team have gone ahead in 19 games this season, but only gone on to win 11 of them, is still a positive.

The Boro boss, preparing for Tuesday's trip to Stoke City, preferred the 'glass half-full' view when presented with that stat in an interview with BBC Radio Tees, after they let a lead slip to lose at Bristol City on Friday.

"There are two sides to that," he said. "Having that go in our favour is a real positive that we can't ignore, and seeing out games, managing games is something we need to get better at.

"That shows we can do it. We can get ourselves in really good positions in games, which is very difficult to do, and we've done it regularly. But how we finish games is hugely important and decides the result.

"There's a big balance there. It feels like there are two extremes, but we're in the middle with the big positive thought of what we can do, and we're going to have to do more of it."

If that is to start in the Potteries, Boro need to end a dismal run of just one away win in the last eight, but Carrick says morale remains high in the camp.

"The group is as solid as ever and it gives you a really good feeling, seeing that and feeling that. But results are the end game, and we need to make the difference in that direction," he added.

Image source, PA Media

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick says there is "a way out" as his side fell to a fifth straight defeat against Bristol City.

Former Bristol City striker Tommy Conway had given Boro the lead but the loss means they remain 11th in the table, with just two wins in their past 12 games.

"It's not a good run at all. There's definitely a way out, for sure there's a way out," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"I think we've been up in a lot of games this season and we've not finished the game off and it was the same tonight.

"It could have been a lot different, it comes on me and we've got another game Tuesday – another really important game – and we've got to prepare ourselves and be fully ready for that."

Carrick also questioned the referee awarding Scott Twine a free-kick that led to Bristol City's second goal.

"I thought they had a bit of the ball but it didn't feel like they were hurting us and were getting frustrated and I thought we defended when we had to, and closed the space off well for the most part," he said.

"The first goal changes a little bit the swing of the game and then the second goal the free-kick that they get is just the totally, totally wrong decision."

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough should stick with Michael Carrick and back their head coach to get them into the Championship play-off places this season, according to former Reading, Watford and Crystal Palace winger Jobi McAnuff.

Boro have lost five of their past six games and are in 11th place, four points outside the top six - albeit with a game in hand on all of the clubs above them.

But chairman Steve Gibson is reportedly keen to see Carrick stay despite their miserable run.

"I don't think there will be any value in getting rid of Michael Carrick," McAnuff told BBC's Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast.

"They have had a couple of tough games of late, against Sheffield United and Sunderland. In the Sunderland game they were fantastic for 30 minutes and should have put the game to bed.

"But under Michael Carrick there has always been an inconsistency - not just from game to game - but actually in the 90 minutes itself.

"And it's been a really poor run, losing to Preston and Portsmouth and Watford away.

"If you want to get in the play-offs these are games you have to win. There's no two ways about that so I understand the pressure and the speculation but you have to give him time."

Middlesbrough were fifth following their win over Hull City on New Year's Day and Carrick has been surprised by their slip down the table.

"I thought they would have a real good season this time out," McAnuff added. "They had a positive end to last season after a difficult start.

"I think if they don't finish in the play offs it will be a really disappointing season, but he has to be given the opportunity to get them in the play-offs - and potentially get them promoted that way."

You can listen to the full Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast on BBC Sounds.