Middlesbrough should certainly have headed into the 2023-24 Championship season with optimism after their turnaround under the new management of Michael Carrick last season, as he took over in October and led them from 21st spot to a fourth-placed finish with 75 points from their 46 games.
That booked a playoff semi-final tie with Coventry City, and Boro would fall just short, eventually suffering a 1-0 aggregate defeat over the two legs, before turning their attention to the new term – their first full one under Carrick – with the aim of going one better and sealing a return to the Premier League.
Their campaign began at home to Millwall at the beginning of August, and Boro were narrowly beaten as Romain Esse hit the only goal of the contest 11 minutes from time, before they travelled to take on Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup first round and advanced with a 3-2 victory, having come from behind through Samuel Silvera, Isaiah Jones and Riley McGree.
Carrick’s men would then return to Championship action in a trip to Coventry on Saturday, and they were again bettered by the Sky Blues, as Matt Godden had the hosts ahead inside the opening 15 minutes, before Haji Wright added a second and a Darragh Lenihan injury-time own goal wrapped up a 3-0 home victory.
Now certainly left disappointed by their start to the new term, Middlesbrough will be keen to put that behind them and get their points tally up and running with a first victory of the campaign on their return to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
They welcome a Huddersfield Town side led by former Boro manager Neil Warnock, who is again tasked with keeping the Yorkshire outfit in England’s second tier, after arriving in mid-February and guiding them to a somewhat unlikely survival as they eventually finished 18th with 53 points.
Warnock would then agree to a full season at the helm, and they began with a tough trip to Plymouth Argyle in early August, eventually coming away empty-handed as Bali Mumba and Ryan Hardie netted second-half goals in a 3-1 home victory, after Michal Helik had cancelled out Morgan Whittaker’s opener for the newly-promoted side.
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The Terriers then welcomed Saturday’s opponents in that EFL Cup tie and again fell short, despite going ahead inside four minutes through Kian Harratt, as Jaheim Headley was soon sent off and the visitors turned the game on its head with their three goals.
before Kyle Hudlin’s injury-time goal came too late to force a penalty shootout at the John Smith’s Stadium.Following their exit from that competition, Warnock’s men most recently faced another difficult test at home to newly-relegated Leicester City on Saturday, and after withstanding pressure throughout, they would again come away empty-handed as Stephy Mavididi’s 73rd-minute effort found the net and made the only difference between the sides.
The Terriers will likely be encouraged by their display in that game but remain without a point so far nonetheless, and they will now aim to defy the odds and put a first victory on the board when they travel north to meet Boro again.
