Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has said he is wary of the challenge a "dangerous" Leeds United pose as he prepares to take his side to Elland Road.

Carrick was satisfied following Boro's 1-1 draw at Burnley on Friday but admits his team are set for another testing Championship evening against Daniel Farke's side on Tuesday.

"We know it's a big challenge, they're playing some really good football, getting some really good results and got some fantastic individual players," the 43-year-old told BBC Radio Tees.

"We've had some good games against them over the last year or so and I'm sure this one will be no different."

Boro comfortably saw off Leeds 3-0 in the Carabao Cup in August but Carrick is not looking too much into that result.

"Every game is different but with it being in the cup there is a different side to it, they are kind of one-off games."

The former England, Manchester United and West Ham midfielder also confirmed that defensive duo Rav van den Berg and Lukas Engel have returned to first-team training.

"Rav's back with us, he's been out for us for some weeks," Carrick said.

"Lukas has just joined in for the first time with us in a small capacity which is great, so we're in good shape".

Leeds United and Middlesbrough clash at Elland Road on Tuesday night in a game that sees two sides vying for promotion lock horns.

The Whites have won seven games in a row on home soil and have lost just twice in their previous 14 overall (W9 D3) - both of which were 1-0 defeats at Millwall and Blackburn respectively.

Boro have scored 19 goals in their past six games, winning four, losing one and drawing one at Burnley last time out.

• Leeds United have won each of their past four league games against Middlesbrough, scoring 3+ goals in three of those matches. It's their longest ever such winning run over Boro.

• Middlesbrough have failed to win any of their past eight away league games against Leeds (D2 L6), failing to score more than one goal in seven of those matches at Elland Road.

• This will be Leeds' 50th home league game against Middlesbrough, with the Yorkshire outfit scoring 1.96 goals on average across their prior meetings with Boro on home soil.

• Middlesbrough's Emmanuel Latte Lath scored a brace in both league meetings with Leeds last season, although ended up on the losing side both times (3-2 away, 4-3 home).

• Leeds' Daniel Farke has won seven of his eight league games against Middlesbrough (D1), his most wins against a single opponent as a Championship manager.

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Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick said it was a "good point" after his side earned a 1-1 draw at Burnley.

"If you go into the changing room, there's a tinge of disappointment, which is a good sign for me," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"The boys are a bit disappointed that we haven't won the game, albeit respectful and accepting the way the game was and how tight it was in some aspects.

"We're striving for more, we're hoping for more. Tonight we couldn't quite get it but we'll certainly take it and use it as a positive going into the games coming up."

On ending Burnley's run of five straight clean sheets, Carrick said: "They're very good defensively, Scotty [Parker] has got them really well organised, not giving a lot away at all through the whole season really.

"It shows some of our play at times was really good and I think we're a little bit disappointed that we haven't had another goal. But maybe they're similar. They had moments around our box as well."

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Michael Carrick has been speaking to the press before Middlesbrough's upcoming trip to Burnley on Friday (20:00 GMT).

Here are some of the key lines:

• Keeper Seny Dieng is back in training as Sol Brynn is praised for his performances in goal throughout Dieng's absence

• He credits the team's "togetherness" for their ability to comeback having lost in a tight 1-0 against Blackburn Rovers three days prior to their 3-1 win against Hull City on Saturday

• On creating a positive environment for the players: "Football is one thing but everyone being in a good place is another thing so when someone is having a tough time, we've all got to be there to look after them."

• On having to face promotion contenders Burnley and Leeds United in succession: "You're on that treadmill and you never get off it. That's the beauty of it, that's the challenge, that's the test - but certainly these next two games are a challenge."

• "Burnley are efficient in what they do and they are a good team. We kind of know what we are getting ourselves into."

• In reflection of the last time they faced Burnley two years ago, which resulted in a 2-1 loss: "We are better now than we have been since I've been here for different reasons - a little more rounded as a team and as a squad. We feel that we are in a stronger place."

• On Burnley boss Scott Parker: "He certainly always had a real presence and a confidence and that leader type of personality. From that side of things, looking at it, it doesn't surprise that he's done really well."

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Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has given an update on some of Boro's injury worries prior to their upcoming trip to Burnley on Friday.

Goalkeeper Seny Dieng and midfielder Riley McGree have returned to training with defender Rav van den Berg also back.

Midfielder Aidan Morris is also back on the training pitch but is not expected to return to the team as quickly while defender Darragh Lenihan will not be back before Christmas as he recovers from his long-term ankle injury.

As for Alex Bangura, Carrick is "hopeful" that the left-back will be able to return to the squad later in the season following an Achilles injury picked up in pre-season.

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Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway admits he loves playing alongside on-loan Liverpool winger Ben Doak.

Conway, 22, scored either side of half-time in the 3-1 win over Hull City thanks to two assists from Doak, who he also plays with for the Scotland national team.

"I love him, not only on the pitch does he cause carnage and creates but off the pitch as well, he's a good mate of mine," Conway told BBC Radio Tees.

"When we're away with Scotland, we're always chilling out together.

"He said he's going to send me the invoice and I did say 'look Beno, I had to do a little bit for you'.

"You always know he's going to create something - it gives me confidence and makes me think of my next move so I need to make sure I'm in the box and timing my run correctly to get on the end of it."

Since Conway made his summer move to the Riverside from Bristol City, he has notched eight goals in his first 14 league appearances.

However, the striker claims he doesn't care who provides the goals as long as the team continue to climb the league table - where they currently sit fifth.

"It doesn’t matter who scores, I just want to be part of a successful team that’s going one place," he added.

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Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has praised Dael Fry for the defender's commitment to getting back to fitness.

The 27-year-old, who joined his local club aged seven, made his first start after a 10-month injury nightmare as Boro beat Hull 3-1 at the Riverside.

Prior to Saturday's game, Fry’s last competitive start came against Bristol City on 10 February before a pelvic problem ended his 2023-24 campaign and hampered his pre-season, with further complications restricting him to a couple of run-outs with the under-21s in recent months.

Fry had been a first-team mainstay before his injury but had only played 15 minutes off the bench in the 5-1 win over Luton on 9 November before this weekend.

Carrick told BBC Radio Tees: "Dael’s been out injured for a lot longer than what we first thought he would be.

"It’s been frustrating but credit to him for how he’s handled it. He’s worked so hard behind the scenes. It’s not easy to come back into a game like that too.

"It was a big day for him and he stepped up fantastically well."

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Adam Lanigan
BBC Sport England

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With typical understatement, Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick says that Ben Doak is doing "alright" as the Liverpool loanee produced another electric display.

Doak set up both of Tommy Conway's goals in Boro's 3-1 win over Hull City, which moved them up to fifth in the Championship.

November has been a spectacular month for the 19-year-old, with five assists for his club and one for Scotland in two fine performances in their Nations League wins over Croatia and Poland.

"He's doing alright, he's doing alright," said Boro boss Carrick.

Doak was a handful for the Tigers all afternoon, because along with the assists, he forced saves from goalkeeper Ivor Pandur and created other chances.

The teenager has emerged as a key player in one of the most electric attacks in the division, with only Norwich City bettering Boro's 32 goals.

And for Carrick, it's a question of letting that talent flourish for the side.

"It's clear for everyone to see the talent that he's got and the threat that he has," he told BBC Sport.

"He's a different threat to most. He's quite direct and not so much loads of tricks and skills, but he's got that attribute to be low with his centre of gravity, he's direct and gets in that position an awful lot.

"Credit to the boys for supplying him and using him and trying to bring out the best of him. He certainly fits the system really well and it's up to us to keep pushing him and developing him and trying to make him better."

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Blackburn Rovers' late winner in their 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough has left some Boro fans feeling robbed of a point after calls that goalscorer Dom Hyam was offside.

Rovers midfielder Todd Cantwell had also hit the net five minutes prior but had his goal ruled offside - however, the flag remained down when Hyam slid home soon after.

In Wednesday's Red Alert podcast, Paul Addison and former Middlesbrough midfielder Neil Maddison discuss Boro's lacklustre home performance and the goal that ended their free-scoring three-game winning streak.

"For me, the annoying thing is the linesman," Maddison said.

"As soon as it's gone in the net, I've looked and it's got to be offside. He's in front of the defender, he's played it in from behind - he has to be offside.

"The linesman is five yards behind, he's still got to see that. It's poor."

You can listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.

Middlesbrough's emphatic goal scoring in their past three league games - including six in their dominant displayed over Oxford United on Saturday - has propelled them up to fifth in the Championship table off the back of three convincing wins.

Striker Emmanuel Latte Lath has been responsible for five of the 15 scored in those three victories and will be hoping to add to his tally as Blackburn Rovers come to town on Wednesday.

Meanwhile Rovers' match against Portsmouth was called off at the weekend due to Storm Burt but they will certainly be looking to cause some disruption of their own when they finally take to the pitch for the first time since 9 November.

• Middlesbrough have won two of their last 18 league games against Blackburn Rovers (D9 L7) and drew 0-0 in the most recent meeting in March.

• Seven of Blackburn’s last nine league visits to Middlesbrough have been drawn, with Rovers winning the other two in 2021 and 2022.

• Middlesbrough have lost two of their last four home league games (W2), one more defeat than in their previous 10 such games (W6 D3).

• Blackburn are looking to win successive away league games for the first time since their final two such matches of 2023-24, having beaten Cardiff 3-1 in their most recent such game.

• Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway has netted three goals in his three previous Championship appearances against Blackburn, including two for Bristol City in April last season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has said he has moved on from his side’s 6-2 thrashing of Oxford United on Saturday.

The impressive victory meant Boro have now scored 15 goals in their last three games - the first time they have done so since November 1947 - but Carrick has emphasised the importance of his in-form squad looking forwards.

"There was a lot to be happy about, that’s pretty obvious," he told BBC Radio Tees. "I have to say we’ve moved on though in terms of [being] ready for the next game.

"I'm delighted the way the boys have come in and got their heads on the next game already."

Boro welcome Blackburn Rovers to the Riverside on Wednesday night after their fixture against Portsmouth at Ewood Park on Saturday fell victim to the weather.

The postponement means John Eustace's side have not been in action since before the international break but Carrick does not they believe this will give them an advantage in midweek.

"Between Saturday and Wednesday there's more than enough time to recover for a game anyway- whether we played or didn't play, I don't think it would have made a major impact," Carrick added.

"It is what it is, we know where we're at, the boys have recovered well and that's all we can ask for."