Watmore starts: The predicted Middlesbrough XI to face Coventry on Saturday | OneFootball

Middlesbrough will be hoping to get their promotion push back on track when they welcome Coventry City to the Riverside tomorrow.

Both clubs find themselves in the chasing pack right now, sitting just back from the top six.

Defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Monday brought an eight-game unbeaten run to an end for Boro and they now face a Coventry side with fresh confidence after winning three in four in 2022.

Chris Wilder will want his side to produce a reaction after the defeat at Ewood Park but he’s got too much experience to take this Sky Blues side for granted.

With that in mind, we’ve outlined the XI we expect to see him name at the Riverside tomorrow…

Joe Lumley could do little about Sam Gallagher’s winner on Monday evening and looks set to reprise his role in goal once again.

Ahead of him, it would be a surprise to see Wilder tinker with the back three, which has done him well over the past few weeks.

With Marc Bola still working his way back to fitness, it seems likely that breakthrough star Isaiah Jones and the experienced Neil Taylor will start on the flanks.

With Riley McGree and James Lea Siliki both unavailable due to international duty, a midfield duo of Jonny Howson and Matt Crooks looks likely.

That should mean that Marcus Tavernier starts in a slightly advanced midfield position but we may see wholesale changes in the forward line.

Brighton loanee Aaron Connolly wasn’t particularly impressive at Ewood Park while Andraz Sporar struggled to make much of an impact either.

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That may mean that Wilder opts for Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun and Duncan Watmore from the start.

A victory could catapult the Teessiders into the top six – assuming Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest slip up.