Middlesbrough

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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".

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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).

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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.

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Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris could be fit to play again before Christmas, according to head coach Michael Carrick.

The 23-year-old suffered a twisted knee while on international duty with the USA in mid-November.

Morris had played in every Championship game for Boro since joining from MLS side Columbus Crew in the summer but has missed the past five with injury.

"Aidan isn't training with the group just yet, but he's progressing well and could be available before Christmas," Carrick said in his press conference ahead of Saturday's home game with Millwall.

After this weekend, Boro travel to Plymouth on 21 December before a run of four games in 10 days over a busy Christmas and New Year period.

Carrick said it will be a "tough game" at the Riverside against Millwall for what will be Lions' head coach Neil Harris' final match in charge.

"We obviously know it's his last game," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees. "He's done a really good job and they'd been on a really good run.

"They'll be wanting to try and bounce back for their own season, so I fully expect a really challenging game - an intense game and we will have to be at our best to win."

You can listen to Michael Carrick's pre-match press conference on BBC Sounds.

Mark Drury
BBC Radio Tees

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Middlesbrough find themselves 10 points from the Championship promotion places today after Sheffield United's victory at Millwall.

Boro are also a point shy of the play-off places after Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at Leeds United.

That was a game that saw Boro draw level in the second half after a first half that captain Hayden Hackney admitted to BBC Radio Tees Sport largely passed them by.

They then contrived to lose two further goals through some sloppy play and returned to Teesside empty-handed.

Michael Carrick's verdict was largely positive, insisting his side had done a lot of good things and that he doesn't think they are far away.

Those comments belied his demeanour on the touchline, where he was a lot more demonstrative than usual and showed flashes of real frustration and anger at some of Boro's decision-making in their own half.

He was also furious that an off-the-ball foul on Emmanuel Latte Lath during a Boro break wasn't spotted by the officials.

Carrick's view of the game was in contrast to the majority of Boro fans, who felt their team hadn't performed anywhere near the level they're capable of.

Indeed, it was a performance that fell short of their showing at Burnley last Friday when they came away from Turf Moor with a point, having made the better chances in the game.

This weekend's game with Millwall is one Boro have to win to resume the momentum they had been building before going to Burnley and Leeds.

The play-offs are a must, but despite there being more than half the season left, the top two may be disappearing over the horizon.

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Millwall's Neil Harris is among four bosses nominated for the Championship Manager of the Month award for November, even though he will leave the club after Saturday's match at Middlesbrough.

Harris led the Lions on a five-match unbeaten run last month from which they took nine points and conceded only three goals.

Chris Wilder's Sheffield United collected 16 points from six unbeaten games in November during which time they went top of the Championship and beat rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City derby.

Although they lost two of their six league games last month, Middlesbrough went goal crazy under Michael Carrick as they recorded four wins by scorelines of 4-1, 5-1, 6-2 and 3-1.

Scott Parker watched his Burnley side pick up four wins and suffer just one defeat from their six games in November.

The Clarets also only conceded one goal.

The winner of the Championship's Manager of the Month award will be announced on Friday morning.

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Middlesbrough were unable to capitalise on second-half momentum as they fell to a 3-1 defeat by Championship leaders Leeds United on Tuesday.

But for captain Hayden Hackney, the loss has not dented his confidence.

"We can compete with the highest teams," Hackney told BBC Radio Tees.

"Although the result hasn't gone for us, I think we've showed that if those chances do fall and we do put our chances away - especially in the second half - it could have been a different game."

Boro equalised early into the second half after Leeds defender Max Wober headed the ball into his own net from a Dan Barlaser corner.

The visitors then had the opportunity to go ahead through Liverpool loanee Ben Doak, but Leeds keeper Illan Meslier came off his line to smother the attack.

The home side soon took the lead themselves before sealing the win through Brenden Aaronson in injury time.

However, Hackney is not spending too much time rueing lost chances.

"We will take the positives from this. We will look at the game, see what we can do better and go again on Saturday," the midfielder added.

Middlesbrough host Millwall at the weekend (15:00 GMT).

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