Middlesbrough will be looking to repeat their 2023/24 League Cup run in the current season.
Boro are not the most successful club in the world but their one and only trophy is the 2004 League Cup.
Middlesbrough beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the final of the competition, earning Steve Gibson his first piece of silverware with his boyhood club.
Michael Carrick came close to repeating that success in the 2023/24 season when the Teessiders went deep into the competition.
Boro reached the semi-final stage and picked up a huge 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Riverside Stadium in the first of two legs.
Had the two-leg rule for semi-finals been scrapped a year earlier, the North East outfit would have made it to the final.
However, Middlesbrough had to play the Blues at Stamford Bridge in the second leg and were thrashed 6-1.
Carrick and co. now begin their 2024/25 League Cup run on Wednesday, August 14th, when they face Leeds United at Elland Road in an 8pm BST kick-off.
Middlesbrough team news for Leeds United
Boro kicked off the current campaign on Saturday, August 10th, with a 1-0 win over Swansea City.
Marcus Forss and Tommy Smith missed the game as they continue to recover from injuries picked up in 2023/24 and are expected to be out in midweek as well.
Alex Bangura was also absent after picking up an issue in pre-season and he too will miss out versus Leeds.
Question marks over the fitness of club captain Jonny Howson remain as well after he suffered a knock against SC Heerenveen.
The 36-year-old was on the bench against the Swans and came on for the final few seconds of the game but could be rested for the League Cup tie.
Middlesbrough predicted XI vs Leeds United
Given it is the first round of the League Cup, Carrick is expected to make a number of changes from the eleven that started versus Swansea.
Howson is unlikely to be risked from the off for a game that, despite the rivalry, does not mean too much.
Elsewhere, new summer signings Delano Burgzorg and Micah Hamilton are likely to be given their first starts in a Boro shirt.
Changes in defence are expected, with George McCormick potentially coming in at left-back and Dael Fry and Darah Leninhan given a chance to build fitness.
Josh Coburn has been told to join Millwall this week but the 21-year-old may be given one final chance to prove himself in a Boro shirt on Wednesday.
Middlesbrough are set to sign Tommy Conway, which will leave first-team minutes for Coburn sparse, but a good showing against the Yorkshire outfit could boost his standing in the eyes of Carrick.
Here’s how we think Middlesbrough will line up against Leeds on Wednesday…
Glover (GK)
Ayling
Fry
Lenihan
McCormick
Hackney
Barlaser
Hamilton
Gilbert
Burgzorg
Coburn