Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough and Wrexham will meet for the first time ever in the English Football League when they face off at the Riverside on Saturday (15:00 BST).

For Boro, victory could see them back at the apex should Coventry City fail to get a result earlier in the day against Watford.

Wrexham will not be able to escape the midtable with an additional three points to their name but they would begin a winning streak having beaten Oxford United last time out - and defeating Middlesbrough is something boss Phil Parkinson would love to add to his CV.

• This is the first ever league meeting between Middlesbrough and Wrexham – it's the first time Middlesbrough are facing a side for the first time since January 2021, winning 3-1 vs Wycombe.

• Wrexham and Middlesbrough last faced in December 1999 in the FA Cup, with the Welsh side winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Robin Gibson and Darren Ferguson.

• Middlesbrough have won eight of their last 11 home league matches (D2 L1), with their only defeat in this run coming against last season's champions Leeds in April.

• After losing their last away league game 1-0 to Stoke, Wrexham will be looking to avoid recording consecutive defeats on the road for just the third time since returning to the EFL in 2023 (January 2025 and a run of three in February 2024).

• Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has lost all four of his previous league meetings with Middlesbrough, losing both games in 2017-18 and 2018-19 with Bolton, failing to score in any match.

Image source, PA Media

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards says it was a case of "job done" after their narrow win at troubled Sheffield Wednesday.

Morgan Whittaker's sixth minute goal proved enough although only a series of saves from Owls debutant goalkeeper Joe Lumley prevented the visitors from finishing the game off.

Without that buffer, Edwards was just pleased that those missed chances did not prove costly.

"We got the job done in the end," he told BBC Radio Tees. "All that mattered was the three points, not really how we did it.

"We didn't get the second goal, which I think we deserved and that always kept them in it, always kept them believing they were one moment away from something.

"So I was really pleased to keep the clean sheet and the win in the end."

Sheffield Wednesday will be aiming not to get stranded at the bottom of the table as the side welcome Middlesbrough on Wednesday (20:00 BST).

The Owls lost to Charlton Athletic on the weekend to see them fall to the basement, level on points with Sheffield rivals United and two points below Derby County hovering above the relegation line.

But second placed Middlesbrough will be an incredibly tough task for the struggling side, with Rob Edwards' men keeping a firm eye on the top spot and keen to keep space between them and those below.

• Although Sheffield Wednesday have only won one of their last five league games against Middlesbrough (D2 L2), that was the most recent in April (2-1).

• After winning four successive league visits to Sheffield Wednesday from 2015-16 to 2019-20, Middlesbrough have since failed to win their last three (D1 L2).

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last 15 home league games (D5 L9) – though that was against Middlesbrough in April (2-1).

• Middlesbrough are winless in their last three away league outings (D2 L1), after having won their first two of the season prior to this.

• Sheffield Wednesday have only lost one of their last 14 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W6 D7), a 0-1 home defeat to Blackburn in December 2024.

Image source, Getty Images

Head coach Rob Edwards loved watching his Middlesbrough side defeat Ipswich Town as they returned to the top of the Championship.

The 2-1 victory at the Riverside saw them leapfrog Coventry City into first place and ended a three-game spell without a win.

Boro had failed to score in two of those and it had raised a few questions after their excellent early season form.

So Edwards was delighted with how his players responded to beat the pre-season favourites for promotion.

"I loved us tonight," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"The energy, the intensity, the work-rate, the desire to win the ball back, the blocks. I loved that, that side of us was great. We carried a threat and we scored a magnificent second goal.

"I'm really proud of the lads and I feel privileged to be part of this because I think it was a really good game.

"We dropped a few points, one or two questions were asked and we've delivered and answered them. But what we've got to do is be consistent and keep that going."

Middlesbrough have unveiled their new crest which will be used from next season onwards.

The Teesside club have also launched a special crest specifically for the 2026-27 campaign, that will feature a 150 year Ayresome Park gates inspired addition to the logo to celebrate their inception in 1976.

The new badge has been restored back to a circle, a design that hasn't been permanent on a Boro kit since 2007.

The design process began in March 2024, before 21,000 supporters were asked for their help in designing the badge to represent their club.

The crest's designer Andrew Patterson spoke to BBC Radio Tees about some of the subtle local features in the new design.

"Going on what fans asked for there was a desire to get some of the local sites into the crest somehow," Patterson said.

"So it was quite nice to subtly bring in the Roseberry Topping element into the lion's mane which is the negative space that sits between the lion's mane and his body, so that profile of Roseberry Topping is in there.

"Also the shape of the River Tees, where our home, where our ground is at the Riverside Stadium. The shape of that is in the lions tongue, so you can see the meanders of the river at that point is brought into the tongue."

The new badge is set to be in use from June 2026 onwards.

Image source, Middlesbrough FC

Image source, Opta

The international break is finally over and the Championship weekend begins in style on Friday night as Middlesbrough welcome Ipswich to the Riverside (20:00 BST).

Rob Edwards' side will seek to get back on track after losing their unbeaten record and top-spot in the table last time out with a 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth on 4 October.

The Tractor Boys were 3-1 winners over Norwich in the East Anglian Derby the following day to jump up to ninth, but within striking distance of the top-three.

• Middlesbrough failed to beat Ipswich in the last league season they played together in 2023-24 (D1 L1), after winning five of the previous seven encounters (D2).

• Ipswich could win successive league games at Middlesbrough for the first time, after winning 2-0 on their last league visit in December 2023.

• Middlesbrough, who went down last time out to Portsmouth, could lose successive league games for the first time since April, while they haven't failed to score in three successive league matches since April 2022 (run of four).

• Only Coventry and Queens Park Rangers (both 11) have won more points in the Championship since the start of September than Ipswich (10), while they've scored 13 goals across their past five games since a 1-0 defeat to Preston North End.

• Nine of Ipswich's past 12 Championship goals have been scored by either Jack Clarke (4) or Jaden Philogene (5) – Clarke has found the net in four of his past five games, with three of those coming as a substitute.

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards says he is looking to increase his side's attacking potential as the Championship returns on Friday.

Boro host Ipswich Town (20:00 BST) as they try to respond to their first defeat of the season at Portsmouth last time out.

That loss knocked them off the top of the table with Coventry City overtaking them, while it was also a second consecutive game without a goal.

Boro have the joint-best defensive record in the division with only six conceded in nine matches, but it is at the top end where Edwards wants more.

"We've been very solid, one of the best in the league, which is great and everyone needs a solid foundation," the ex-Luton Town boss told BBC Radio Tees.

"Then we want to find that balance between maintaining that and obviously creating a little bit more.

"In recent games that has been a little bit more challenging."

Middlesbrough had a busy transfer window with 11 new players joining the club.

In attack, they have included Slovakia striker David Strelec, Senegalese forward Kaly Sene and winger Sontje Hansen, who has just made his debut for Curacao, with all three new to English football.

Sene has scored twice, and the other two one each, but Edwards understands that the trio are still settling in to the environment.

"It's not going to be click the fingers and things are perfect straight away," he said. "People have got to build up a rapport, they've got to understand each other's games.

"That will still take some time, there's no doubt about it."

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough midfielder Sverre Nypan made his Norway debut in a 1-1 friendly draw with New Zealand in Oslo on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old appeared as an 81st-minute substitute after Norway had been forced to come from behind to earn a draw.

Nypan was only called into the squad on Monday, having captained his country's under-21 side in a 4-1 defeat by Spain last Friday.

He will now travel back to England to help Middlesbrough prepare for their return to Championship action at home to Ipswich on Friday, 17 October (20:00 BST).

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough midfielder Sverre Nypan has been called into Norway's senior squad for the first time in his career.

The 18-year-old has stepped up from the under-21 squad for Tuesday's friendly with New Zealand in Oslo.

Nypan, who is on a season-long loan at Middlesbrough from Manchester City, captained Norway's Under-21s in a 4-1 defeat by Spain last Friday.

The midfielder has started two Championship matches for Rob Edwards' side since moving to Teesside in August, having joined City from Rosenborg in a deal worth £12.5m in July.

Former Middlesbrough midfielder Jonny Howson says his move into coaching is a chance to "give something back" after leaving Middlesbrough this summer.

The 37-year-old, who spent eight years at the Riverside, was not offered a new contract by Boro boss Rob Edwards and has now taken a player-coaching role with former club Leeds United's Under-21s side.

However, while Howson may no longer wear Boro colours, his fondness for the Teesside club remains.

"Here at Middlesbrough, it's where my kids have seen me playing most. I've spent a lot of time here," the former Boro captain told BBC Radio Tees.

"We still watch the games now. There were a lot of times when I would have played at the Riverside and we'd go back home, play football in the living room with the kids and they're singing the songs that the fans have been cheering and sometimes the fans sang for me.

"This is my chance trying to give something back because this club has given me so much."

Listen to the full interview with Howson and more Middlesbrough content on BBC Sounds.

"If you are going to have a problem then 'how do I get the best out of this myriad of attacking [options] I've got?' has to be the best problem to have.

"He [Edwards] is going to have to find a solution to it. I think we've seen enough to suggest a solution is in there and once you get it, then this is a Boro side that has every ingredient needed to be really good in attack."

The Northern Echo's Scott Wilson discusses a dip in form for Middlesbrough as they go into the international break with their undefeated run scuppered by Portsmouth.

Listen to Wilson's full analysis and more Middlesbrough content on BBC Sounds.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score reporter at Fratton Park

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth and Middlesbrough each had just one shot on target at Fratton Park. Safe to say neither side will be happy with that return – a stat which leaps out from the graphics page, and must surely be a thought-provoker for both managers.

The difference, though is, Pompey took that solitary moment, converted it, and came away with all three points. Boro did not, and it cost them not only their place at the top of the table, but their unbeaten start to the Championship season.

Rob Edwards spoke about it after the game, saying they were not good enough in the final third, despite making multiple attacking changes.

It poses two key questions: who will emerge as Middlesbrough's prolific goalscorer this season, and could unlocking that be pivotal in their bid for automatic promotion?

Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards spoke to BBC Radio Tees after their 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth:

"It was frustrating in the end. I'm gutted for the fans that we're not able to take something away and they enjoy the journey back.

"It's been a really good start. Today was frustrating, and we have to take it on the chin and continue with the work that we're doing that is building something.

"We had more shots than them, but not enough, and not enough on target, certainly.

"Once they got the goal, which was obviously avoidable from our point of view, it gave them something to hold on to as well. We weren't quite good enough in the final third, ultimately.

"We chucked as many forwards on the pitch as we could to try and get something, but it didn't happen."

"They are definitely [contenders for top two] but we need to go into this international break with a win."

BBC Radio Tees' Mark Drury is joined by Boro fan Rob Nichols to discuss the potential of a promotion-winning season for Middlesbrough after a promising start.

Listen to the full discussion and more Middlesbrough content on BBC Sounds.

Middlesbrough fans deserve to be recognised and thanked for their commitment to backing the team, says boss Rob Edwards.

Boro drew 1-1 at Southampton last Saturday and head back to the south coast this weekend to face Portsmouth with Edwards sending a letter to travelling supporters, external who are doing both trips.

"We've tried to talk about the supporters a lot from day one," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"We wanted to build a rapport and a connection and supporters need to feel we value them and I genuinely do."

Middlesbrough are unbeaten in the Championship and lead the table by two points heading into the game at Fratton Park.

"It's not lost on me the commitment to travel and in such great numbers and such great distances," Edwards added.

"People work really hard and to spend so much money on their football team we need to show it means a lot to us and we're very thankful."