Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough held third-place Burnley to a goalless draw on Sunday to see them keep their spot in the top six.

But while the points were shared between the two promotion-chasing teams, Boro defender Dael Fry feels his side displayed a higher quality.

"They're a good team, a top side in the division, but coming off the pitch, I said to the lads, 'I think we are a better team than them'," Fry told BBC Radio Tees.

"Over both games we had against them over the season, we defended well and we created chances.

"There's no reason we can't kick on now and challenge."

Boro fans will be especially pleased to see their club come out with a clean sheet, having led Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at half-time on Boxing Day before throwing it away as the game ended in a 3-3 draw.

The 27-year-old, who featured in the entire match against the Owls, said that result came as a "shock" but that the negative emotions served as a reminder.

"To concede three goals in the second half, we were all disappointed, and we knew against Burnley that we had to be on our mettle," Fry added.

"There's no reason we can't do that every game, we just need to be more consistent.

"No matter who we play, we've got to be 100% committed."

You can listen to the full post-match reaction on BBC Sounds.

The final Championship fixture of the weekend features two promotion-chasing teams as Middlesbrough host Burnley on Sunday evening.

The sides drew 1-1 in an entertaining reverse tie at Turf Moor in early December but seventh-placed Boro have faltered a little since then, winning just once and letting slip a three-goal lead at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

By contrast, the Clarets are flying high in third place, a point behind table toppers Leeds United, after extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches with a clinical away win over second-placed Sheffield United.

• Middlesbrough are winless in six league games against Burnley (D3 L3) since winning 1-0 in December 2015 under Aitor Karanka.

• Burnley won 2-1 against Middlesbrough at the Riverside last time out in 2022-23 – they've never won consecutive away league games against them.

• Middlesbrough have won their final league game of the year in each of the past three years, winning 2-1 in every game – against Blackpool in 2021, Blackburn in 2022 and Huddersfield in 2023.

• Burnley lost their final league game of the year 3-2 against Aston Villa in 2023 but haven't done so in consecutive years since between 2005 and 2010 (six in a row).

• Burnley manager Scott Parker has one win in five Championship meetings with Middlesbrough (D3 L1), winning 1-0 win Fulham in January 2020. His five games against them have produced just four goals (2 for, 2 against).

Mark Drury
BBC Radio Tees commentator

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What do Boro need?

Boro have a potential issue at right-back where Anfernee Dijksteel is entering the final six months of his contract and Luke Ayling has struggled to hit the heights of last season's loan spell, while Tommy Smith remains a long-term injury absentee.

Recent injuries to Aidan Morris and Hayden Hackney showed the strength in depth in central midfield may need to be augmented if a promotion push is to be sustained, while the right side of attack may need reinforcing too.

What business are they likely to do?

So much depends on what happens with Emmanuel Latte Lath. Ipswich tried to sign him at the end of the summer window and Boro are braced for renewed interest in the Ivorian.

If he leaves it will only be for a figure that suits the club, with the money then being used to buy a replacement and augment other areas of the squad.

It also wouldn't be a surprise to see some fringe figures depart if the interest is there. Dan Barlaser and Isaiah Jones are two players who would surely interest other Championship clubs if they were available.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

January 2023 put rocket boosters under Michael Carrick's squad just a couple of months after replacing Chris Wilder.

Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey dovetailed perfectly with Chuba Akpom and Ryan Giles to help propel Boro to the play-offs where they drew a blank against Coventry in the semi-final.

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

Latte Lath is an obvious talking point but the player Boro coaches and fans alike would be devastated to lose is Ben Doak. The winger is on a season-long loan from Liverpool and everyone on Teesside is praying they don't recall him.

How key is the window?

Right now Boro have their strongest squad for years. It was built with the express intention of challenging for automatic promotion and to this point Boro have underachieved in that regard.

Some freshening up in the right areas may help unlock the potential that is undoubtedly there.

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Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick was at a loss to explain how his side gave up a three-goal lead and drew 3-3 at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Finn Azaz's double and a goal from Ben Doak had them three up after 30 minutes and seemingly cruising towards three points.

But three goals in 14 second-half minutes, which also included a red card for Boro defender Rav van den Berg, saw the Owls stage an incredible comeback.

It meant Carrick's team slipped out of the Championship's top six.

"There were so many good things in the first half to be in a position like we were in and be in a commanding position going into the second half," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"To let the game unravel and get away from us that quickly, it can't happen. It's pretty obvious to say that, but it can't happen.

"It went so quickly and we made some bad decisions, didn't react to it too well and then a couple of deflections and they score the goals, but it can't happen."

Middlesbrough are currently in the final Championship play-off spot in a tight battle for the top six at the midway point of the season.

They are level on points with seventh-placed West Bromwich Albion while just five points separate fifth-placed Blackburn Rovers and ninth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls travel to the Riverside having won two games in a row whereas Boro have won just once in their past four games.

• Middlesbrough have won three of their last five league matches against Sheffield Wednesday (D1 L1) and won 2-0 at the Riverside last season.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last two league visits to Middlesbrough since a 4-1 victory under Garry Monk in September 2019.

• This is the fourth league meeting between Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day – Boro won 1-0 in 1930 but the Owls have won the last two in 1999 and 2018.

• Middlesbrough have won nine of their last 12 league games on Boxing Day but did lose 1-0 away at Rotherham United last season.

• Sheffield Wednesday lost 2-0 to Coventry on Boxing Day last year but haven't lost on consecutive years since 2000 (2-0 vs. Bolton) and 2001 (1-0 vs. Birmingham).

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick believes he will see his side reap the benefits of rotating the starting line-up during the second half of the season.

The 43-year-old opted to select Tommy Conway ahead of Emmanuel Latte Lath for Boro's entertaining 3-3 draw with Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, one of three changes from the side that started the victory over Millwall seven days earlier.

"I think as a whole group the boys have played a lot of games between them and that has been a big plus for us moving through the season," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees ahead of his side's Boxing Day sell-out clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Latte Lath was a 75th-minute substitute at Home Park, scoring nine minutes after coming on to the pitch, and Carrick believes alternating his top attacking talent will improve his side's chances of a play-off surge in the new year.

"Tommy [Conway] scored a goal which was onside which was given offside, it was a good finish from Tommy, and Manu [Latte Lath] took his chance fantastically well and got us right back in the game so, yeah, pleased with both of them.

"I would like to think that we'll get the benefits further through the season - I think the boys individually are looking in a good place".

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick was not happy with his team's defending but hailed their character after Saturday's 3-3 draw at Plymouth.

"I was pleased with the boys' character and commitment and belief to keep pegging it back second half like we did," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"I thought we were the better team second half, but first half we weren't at our best.

"You can't concede that many opportunities and goals and expect to win games every week.

"[With] the attacking play and opportunities we maybe could have scored more, but we just gave ourselves too much to do really."

Plymouth will seek to get back on track, and out of the Championship drop-zone, when Wayne Rooney welcomes former teammate Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough to Home Park.

Argyle are second bottom and a point from safety, albeit with a much more inferior goal difference on their rivals in the bottom three, while Boro are sixth and looking to close an eight-point gap to the automatic promotion places.

• Plymouth Argyle have lost three of their past nine league games against Middlesbrough (W2 D4), with this fixture last season finishing 3-3

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten across their past eight away league games against Plymouth Argyle (W4 D4), since a 1-0 loss back in October 1964

• Plymouth have lost each of their past four league games, conceding 14 goals in total during that time. Not since March 2021 have the Pilgrims endured a longer losing run in the same season (five games)

• Middlesbrough have scored 19 goals in total across their away games in the Championship so far this season – the most of any side in the competition

• Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz has recorded 14 goal contributions in the Championship this season (six goals, eight assists), with only Norwich's Borja Sainz managing more (15 goals, two assists)

• Azaz is one of only two players to record both at least five goals and assists in the competition, alongside Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer

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With Middlesbrough having won four of their past seven games and scored 20 goals in that period, this is a daunting task for Millwall.

Neil Harris will bid farewell as Millwall boss after the match hoping to have avoided a third successive defeat.

• Middlesbrough have won two of their past three league games against Millwall (L1), as many as across their prior nine matches combined against them (D5 L2).

• Millwall have won just one of their past eight away league games against Middlesbrough (D3 L4), though it did come in their most recent trip on the opening day of last season (1-0); they could win successive such games for the first time since April 2014.

• Middlesbrough have alternated between victory (4) and defeat (3) in their past seven home league games, winning 3-1 over Hull City in their most recent such game.

• Five of Millwall's past seven away league games have been drawn (W1 L1), last drawing three in a row on the road in the league in April 2022.

• Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz has been involved in five goals in his past four home league appearances (three goals, two assists), one more involvement than in his first 15 such games for the club (four assists).

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has been named the EFL's Championship manager of the month for November.

The Blades were unbeaten last month, taking 16 points from their six matches and climbing to the top of the table.

It is the second time this season Wilder has won the award having also been named the division's top manager in September.

"This award is recognition for a lot of hard work from the players and the staff in the opening months of the season," Wilder told the EFL website., external

"The rebuild of the squad has been talked about numerous times, what needs to be taken into consideration is that this is a new group, providing a new dynamic, which includes the lads who were here last season. There's still a lot of work to do but the signs are good."

Sheffield United have taken four points from their opening two games of December and host Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, Burnley's Scott Parker and outgoing Millwall head coach were also nominated for the award.