Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney has scored his first international goal during England's Under-21's 4-2 win against Portugal at The Hawthorns on Monday.

Sheffield Wednesday's James Beadle had made multiple saves to prevent Portugal taking the lead before Hackney was gifted possession to fire in the opener.

The 22-year-old has made nine appearances for the under-21s, making his debut in 2023 under current boss Lee Carsley.

Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham and Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley provided assists in the victory, with the Black Cats teenager setting up Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri to score on his full debut appearance.

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Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz scored his first international goal as the Republic of Ireland beat Bulgaria 2-1 in the first leg of their Uefa Nations League play-off.

The 24-year-old converted from close range after 21 minutes in Plovdiv as the Republic came from behind to take a slender lead into Sunday's second leg.

"[Troy Parrott] put it on a plate for me, so I'll say thank you to Troy for that. It was a great ball from Robbie [Brady] too and I just had to be in there," Azaz told RTE.

"It was probably the easiest goal I have ever scored; I don't score many headers so I'm glad to score one tonight."

Avoiding defeat in the return fixture in Dublin at the weekend will see the Republic of Ireland retain their status in League B.

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Middlesbrough must not start looking at the form of other teams in their chase for the Championship play-offs, according to goalkeeper Mark Travers.

Boro drew 0-0 at Luton on Saturday and are three points adrift of the top six as they enter the international break.

"The main thing for us and the club is to just focus on us," Travers told BBC Radio Tees.

"When you start adding up points your next fixture becomes really difficult and you end up putting pressure on yourselves and thinking about things that aren't in your control.

"All we can do is go to the next game after the international break, try to get a win and push up the table - we'll just focus on what we can do and hopefully that'll be more than enough come May."

The Republic of Ireland international joined Middlesbrough on loan from Bournemouth at the end of the January transfer window and has played nine league games, keeping two clean sheets.

"It's hard coming in January when a lot of the games are being played but I was excited to come here and all the boys have been great with me and it's been easy to settle," he added.

Middlesbrough return to action after the international break on 29 March when they host Oxford United.

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Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick was full of praise for his side's character and ability to adapt in the 0-0 draw against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

Boro were forced to defend for long spells as the Hatters created - and wasted - numerous chances.

"We had a new back four with players playing out of position so we knew it would be a challenge and it proved to be like that," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees. "Sometimes you earn your luck and everyone was fully committed and we needed Trav [Goalkeeper Mark Travers] at times. He made some good saves.

"It wasn't a classic terms of quality of football. We knew that coming here there would be moments we had to defend. We spoke about that before the game. We knew we had to adapt.

"They pitch was difficult to pass the ball on; it was as bobbly as you could get and everything that didn't really suit us. It was a challenge to play good football.

"I was really pleased with the boys and how we stuck at it and we could have nicked one at the end.

"It's an important point and there are a lot of positives to take from that even though it wasn't a classic on the eye. We knew we would have to defend and we were ready for it."

Luton Town will start the day two points adrift of Championship safety when they face play-off chasing Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hatters have won two of their past three league games, while Boro have won three out of four to reignite their hopes of a top-six finish.

• Luton are unbeaten in their past seven home league games against Middlesbrough (W4 D3) since losing 1-0 back in October 1974.

• Middlesbrough are looking to complete a league double over Luton Town for the first time since the 1973-74 campaign under Jack Charlton.

• Luton Town have won five of their past 11 home league games (D3 L3) and haven't conceded more than one goal in any of those 11 at Kenilworth Road.

• Middlesbrough have lost five of their past six away league matches, winning the other 3-1 against Stoke City in February.

• Tommy Conway has scored six goals in his past 10 away league appearances for Middlesbrough.

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick believes that his team still has a 'great chance' of making the play-offs.

The 2-1 win over QPR was a third in four games and with none of the teams above them winning on Tuesday, Boro are only three points outside the top six.

And with nine games to play, starting away at Luton Town on Saturday, Carrick is feeling optimistic.

"They're still there [in the play-off race]. We've got to obviously keep that opportunity alive," he told BBC Radio Tees.

Listen, it's so close and Saturday's another important game.

"We're going to be saying that now until the end of the season. There are probably going to be twists and turns and we've just got to keep plugging away.

"We're still in it, we've got a chance – we've got a great chance, actually – and let's just see what happens."

"I'll do whatever's asked of me. I did it as a young lad coming through and I'm doing it as an old lad on the way out. That'll never change," Middlesbrough midfielder-turned-defender Jonny Howson tells BBC Radio Tees.

In the absence of fit central defenders, Howson and left-back Neto Borges transformed into high-quality centre-backs to help Boro into a 2-1 win against fellow play-off chasers Queen's Park Rangers on Tuesday night.

Paul Addison is joined by former Middlesbrough midfielder Neil Maddison to talk about the makeshift defensive duo and the Teeside team's performance as they look to return to the top six.

Includes interviews with Howson and boss Michael Carrick.

You can listen to the full reaction and more on the Red Alert podcast.

Middlesbrough welcome QPR to the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) looking to keep their Championship play-off hopes alive.

Boro's top six ambitions were dented by a 1-0 defeat at Swansea on Saturday - their seventh loss in 10 games - and sit five points behind West Bromwich Albion in sixth.

The Hoops have seen their own play-off quest become increasingly unlikely with three straight defeats leaving them them 11 points off the top six.

• Middlesbrough have won three of their past four league games against QPR (L1), scoring 2+ goals in each of those victories.

• QPR have won four of their past five away league games against Middlesbrough (L1), as many as across their prior 13 visits to face Boro.

• Middlesbrough are looking to win successive home league games for only the second time this season, previously doing so in November/December.

• QPR have won five of their past seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league matches (L2), though did lose the most recent such game 1-0 at Coventry last month.

• Middlesbrough have won each of their past four league games against London clubs; in their Football League history, their longest winning run over sides from the capital is five games, achieved on six previous occasions, most recently in March 2015.

Middlesbrough will look to retain their good form from their previous two matches as they cross the border to visit Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

A run of five consecutive losses saw Boro out of the top 10, but wins over Derby County and Stoke City now see them back on track with a play off spot just two points away.

While the Swans held their nerve against Preston North End last time out to go 10 points clear of relegation.

• Swansea City have failed to win any of their last seven league games against Middlesbrough (D1 L6), since a 2-1 win in March 2021.

• Middlesbrough have won each of their last five league games against Swansea City, as many victories as across their prior 16 matches against the Swans (D4 L7).

• Swansea City won 3-0 against Blackburn at Liberty Stadium in their last home game. They haven't won consecutive home league games without conceding since April 2024.

• Middlesbrough have won their last two Championship matches, having lost five in a row beforehand. They are looking for three consecutive wins for the first time since November 2024.

• Finn Azaz has created 2.4 chances per 90 minutes in the Championship for Middlesbrough this season. Among players to play 2,000+ minutes in a Championship season for Boro, that is the best ratio since Grant Leadbitter in 2014-15 (2.6 per 90).

"I think we are turning a corner now, I hope. I still don't 100% trust this team."

BBC Radio Tees' Paul Addison is joined by former Middlesbrough midfielder Neil Maddison and Boro fan Dana Malt to discuss back-to-back wins - but does the turnaround mean the five-match losing streak has been left in the past?

Includes interviews from boss Michael Carrick and Saturday's match-winner Finn Azaz after the 1-0 win over Derby.

You can listen to the full episode and more on the Red Alert podcast.

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick says his side feels like they earned their 1-0 win over Derby County.

Finn Azaz's goal 10 minutes from full-time was enough as Carrick's side recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since November.

It moved Boro up to eighth in the Championship, two points off the play-offs.

"I think it was a tough game," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"I thought we played some good football, especially in the first half, we had some opportunities and they've got as lot to hold on to.

"They made it difficult for us and we had to find a way of getting over the line, which we haven't done enough this season, but it was a good step for us.

"Everyone played their part and it's just as good winning like that as any other way, to win late in and feel like we've earned it, so a good day."

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).