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Middlesbrough logo
Championship
Aug 23, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Sheffield Wednesday logo

2-3

Leadbitter (72' pen., 91' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-2)
Nuhiu (6', 57'), May (42')

Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Sheffield Wednesday

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday as both sides look to build on strong starts to the season.

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to continue their good start to the Championship season when they travel to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough this Saturday.

The Owls remain unbeaten in their four outings in all competitions this season, while the first goal they conceded came deep into second-half stoppage time against Millwall on Tuesday.

That strike rescued a draw for the Lions and, although it was enough for Wednesday to remain unbeaten, manager Stuart Gray admitted that the result felt like a defeat.

Even so, Wednesday have negotiated a tricky start to the season well, picking up five points from matches against promotion contenders Brighton & Hove Albion and Derby County in addition to that clash with in-form Millwall.

It was the first half of the season that let the Owls down in the previous campaign, so Gray will be hoping to continue the strong start in order to push for a top-half finish in his first full season in charge of the club.

Goals have been hard to come by in the opening three games, with Wednesday scoring just twice, but they look to be stronger defensively this time around as well.

Gray will be hoping that the goals arrive once new signing Stevie May gets settled in, and the striker is expected to start for the third game in a row this weekend.

Middlesbrough have also made a good start to their season and will fancy their chances of picking up a third win of the campaign at the Riverside on Saturday.

Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers have already been dispatched by Aitor Karanka's side, who were also unfortunate to lose against Leeds United last weekend having seen a perfectly good goal disallowed.

Despite that disappointment, Karanka would have been pleased with how his side responded to losing so late, going on to come from behind and beat Bolton on Tuesday.

The Spanish manager will also be delighted with how quickly new signing Kike has adapted to English football, with the summer addition having scored in three of his four outings for the club so far.

If he can keep that form up for most of the campaign then Boro will have a chance to push for the playoffs, but matches like Saturday's at home to Wednesday are the type that they need to win to make that a reality.

Sebastian Hines started Tuesday's match against Bolton but could be relegated back to the bench having given away a penalty, with Daniel Ayala coming in.

Recent form

Middlesbrough: WWLW

Sheff Weds: WWDD

Possible starting lineups

Middlesbrough: Tomas; Damia, Omeruo, Ayala, Friend; Nsue, Leadbitter, Clayton, Adomah; Tomlin, Kike

Sheff Weds: Westwood; Palmer, Lees, Loovens, Mattock; Maguire, Semedo, Hutchinson, Maghoma; May, Nuhiu

Sports Mole says: 2-0


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Adam Clayton of Huddersfield Town in action during the Budweiser FA Cup Fourth Round match against Charlton Athletic on February 1, 2014
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
2Sunderland1594225111431
3Burnley168621961330
4Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
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