Middlesbrough

Image source, Opta

Middlesbrough will seek to get back to winning ways and stay top of the Championship as they visit Watford on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets made it back-to-back home wins as they picked up a much-needed 1-0 win over Lincoln on Tuesday, their fourth victory in seven games at Vicarage Road, where 13 of their 14 points this season have come.

Middlesbrough went down 2-0 at Wrexham on Wednesday to see their lead at the summit cut to a point and end their 11-game unbeaten run, however they had picked up 11 points from their previous five away games, though Watford has not been a happy hunting ground for Boro of late.

• Watford have won three of their past four league games against Middlesbrough, though did lose the most recent meeting 5-1 in April.

• Middlesbrough have lost eight of their past 11 away league games against Watford (W2 D1). These has included four runs of two consecutive defeats (including a current run), but they've never lost three straight visits to the Hornets before.

• Since the start of September, no side has lost more Championship games than Watford (8). However, all three wins in this run have been at home, winning their past two at Vicarage Road.

• Riley McGree scored his first ever Football League brace at Vicarage Road against Watford, putting Middlesbrough 2-0 up after 12 minutes in September 2023.

• Amin Nabizada is Watford's top scorer in the Championship this season with three goals – no side's top-scorer in the competition this term has fewer.

Image source, Shutterstock/Kidderminster Harriers FC

Kidderminster Harriers have made two signings before Saturday's FA Cup first Round tie with Doncaster Rovers at Aggborough.

Sam Austin has signed on loan until the end of the season and young Middlesbrough striker Layton Campbell has joined on a short-time loan initially until January.

Austin, 29, left Aggborough after six seasons to join Notts County in 2023 and was part of the Magpies side that won promotion back to the EFL in his first season.

He moved on to Southend in the summer of 2025 but now re-joins a Harriers team who have slipped to 13th in the National League after failing to win any of their last eight games.

Their only victory during that time was the 2-1 FA Cup fourth qualifying round win at home to Solihull Moors which earned them Saturday's tie against League One strugglers Rovers (15:00 GMT).

Former Blackpool youth team player Campbell, 20, has been with Boro since last season after scoring 15 goals in 16 games for non-league Whitley Bay.

We asked for your thoughts after Middlesbrough went down 2-0 at Wrexham on Wednesday with their lead at the top of the Championship cut to one point and 15-goal top-scorer Will Lankshear missing through injury.

Here are some of your comments:

Middlesbrough fans

David: Boro a one-man team.

Michael: Disgraceful Hellberg rotating squad around, can't he figure it out without Lankshear?

David J: A lacklustre performance as a consequence of poor first-team selection by Hellberg, which he corrected for the last 30 mins but it was too late then.

Graham: We had zero intensity even when we were behind. The defending was terrible, and the wide players barely beat the last man. Zero threat until the 92 minute. Wrexham deserved the win, we didn't deserve anything based on that performance. If we don't improve dramatically we won't be top for long.

Dave: Boro were unrecognisable tonight. We got what we deserved - nothing! We need that central defence sorting out, hopefully in January.

Len: Slow and ponderous. Happens every time Ayling plays.

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Tees after his side's 2-0 defeat at Wrexham.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Middlesbrough may need to retake their top position on the table when they make the trip to Wrexham on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Boro could be displaced by Swansea City if the Swans find success against Portsmouth on Tuesday.

But if the Welsh side fail to find a point, the league leaders will have the chance to extend their lead out of striking distance for the weekend.

Though Wrexham's campaign hasn't been the promotion charge they were hoping for so far and they will be looking to make a splash against top competitors.

• Both league meetings between Wrexham and Middlesbrough last season ended level, the only previous league games played between the sides.

• Middlesbrough have won just two of their six meetings with Wrexham in all competitions (D2 L2), though one of those came in this season's League Cup first round (1-0).

• Having won five consecutive away league games against Welsh sides between February 2023 and August 2024, Middlesbrough are winless in their last three visits (D2 L1). Both games last season ended in 2-2 draws (vs Swansea and Wrexham).

• Following their 4-1 win against Preston last month, Wrexham are looking to win consecutive home league games for the first time since February.

• Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last 12 away league games (W5 D6), going down 2-1 at Blackburn in August.

Adam Cottier
BBC Radio 5Live reporter at the Riverside

Image source, Shutterstock

With so much already said about Will Lankshear's form this season, it's a little hard to know what to add as his goals tally accelerates at a rate of knots seldom seen in the second tier.

Comparisons to a young Harry Kane are understandable because of his time at Spurs and his willingness to progress his career in the EFL.

But Lankshear is more than finding his way - he's flourishing - and there's an aura about his presence in Middlesbrough's attack that's impossible to ignore.

His latest two goals came as the league leaders played with astute authority against Charlton, if not at their best, ahead of two away games in the coming week.

And they were good goals too - a clever clip over the goalkeeper for his first and a powerful accurate 20-yard effort for his second. Both goals labelled him as a supremely confident and agile striker.

Accuracy is the key word with the Boro number seven.

Lankshear appears to possess great positional sense and distinct awareness of where the goal is and what he needs to do with a particular attempt - the mark of all great strikers. There was little hesitation when presented with his two big chances on Saturday.

Fifteen goals in all competitions is an outstanding number to have reached before the end of October and Middlesbrough look to have quelled any concerns that they cannot be in this promotion race for the long haul.

They are exciting, creative and solid at the back - and in Lankshear they have a young Englishman surely destined to get senior international recognition in the not-too-distant future.

Middlesbrough midfielder Sebastian Berhalter spoke to BBC Radio Tees after the win against Charlton. For a written selection of his quotes, click here

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough have announced head of football Kieran Scott and and head of recruitment Chris Jones have signed new "long-term contracts" to continue at the club.

Scott was appointed as head of football in August 2021 and was the key man in replacing Rob Edwards with current head coach Kim Hellberg when the former left for Wolverhampton Wanderers last November.

Jones, meanwhile, has impressed supporters with the signings he has helped bring in through the door at the Riverside Stadium this summer.

Boro signed 12 new players, including defender Ashley Phillips and striker Will Lankshear from Tottenham Hotspur, goalkeeper Radek Vitek from Manchester United, as well as Amario Cozier-Duberry on a season-long loan from Brighton, who have all made a big impact as the club currently sit top of the Championship.

The club also confirmed the appointment of Paul Watson as their new chief technical officer having arrived from Brentford.

"I'm delighted to sign a new contract and along with Chris we are excited about the future," Scott said.

"Bringing Paul in is a real coup for us. His focus is on the technical and data side of things, and he comes here with a successful background at Luton, Swansea and Brentford."

Image source, Opta

Middlesbrough will aim to at least maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Championship when they host free-falling Charlton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Boro's 5-1 win at Bolton took them top before defeats for closest challengers Swansea and West Ham but they return to the Riverside where they have won only one of their past three games.

The Addicks are 19th after taking just one point from their past four away games and are now winless in nine league games overall, failing to score in four of them.

• Middlesbrough have won 10 of their past 14 league games against Charlton Athletic (D2 L2), keeping six clean sheets across the past 10.

• Charlton Athletic won this exact fixture 1-0 last season and will be looking for successive away league wins over Middlesbrough for the first time since April 1965.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their past 10 league games (W6 D4). They last had a longer run between March and August 2016 (13), and last did so within the same season in 2011-12 (unbeaten in first 11).

• Having won their first three league games this season, Charlton are now winless in nine (D5 L4). The only team in English Football League history to win their opening three games and then have a 10-game winless run are Blackburn Rovers in 1986-87.

• Middlesbrough have scored 27 goals across their opening 12 league games this season, last netting more at this stage of a campaign in 1959-60 (30).

We asked for your thoughts after Middlesbrough thrashed Bolton 5-1 to rise to the top of the Championship on Friday.

Here are some of your comments:

Bolton Wanderers fans

Paul: We were totally outclassed. Boro were much faster, better organised and basically a much better team where every player knew their role in the team. An excellent effort.

Andy: Beaten by a far better team. No complaints. Middlesbrough looked very good.

Ross: To survive in the Championship, Bolton need a first rate coaching staff, which they do not have at the present time. Far too leaky defensively and inadequate firepower up front. Beg Allardyce to take over.

Image source, Shutterstock

Middlesbrough fans

Andrew: I particularly appreciated Lankshear's interview. He showed grace, humility and due deference to the manager. With this team, this manager (and of course never forgetting the wonderful Steve Gibson) we should soon be Premier League and stay there.

John: A performance that would not be out of place in any league. Some of the passing and movement was a joy to watch.

Cliff: One word - brilliant.

Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Tees after they thumped Bolton Wanderers 5-1 to go top of the Championship.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Bolton and Middlesbrough meet for the first time in seven years on Friday night (20:00 BST).

Boro come into the game on a 10-match unbeaten run while Bolton recovered from losing at home to 10-man Stoke by winning at Wolves and becoming the first side to deny Southampton at home with a 0-0 draw at St Mary's last weekend.

• Bolton have lost their past four home league games against Middlesbrough, twice as many defeats as across their prior 27 meetings combined between September 1951 and January 2014.

• Middlesbrough have won each of their past eight league games against Bolton Wanderers; it is their longest winning run against a side in their Football League history.

• Bolton have lost just one of their past five league games (W3 D1), picking up as many points (10) as in their previous 12 league matches (W2 D4 L6).

• Middlesbrough have struck 22 goals across their opening 11 Championship matches this season, their most at this stage of a campaign since 1986-87 in the third tier and their most in the second tier since 1963-64 (27).

• Middlesbrough lead the Championship this season for build-up attacks (48) and passes per sequence (4.2), while only Cardiff City (9.8) have a lower PPDA value than their 9.9.