Middlesbrough will be looking to build on their early-season success when they face Derby County.
After a run of just one loss in their last 12 games of 2023/24, Boro were expected to start the 2024/25 Championship season brightly.
However, Michael Carrick should be over the moon with how his first-team squad have began the current campaign.
The Teesiders kicked off the season at the Riverside Stadium with Emmanuel Latte Lath opening his account as Middlesbrough beat Swansea City 1-0.
The North East outfit were then in League Cup action in midweek, looking to repeat the success they had in the competition last term.
Anfernee Dijksteel, Delano Burgzorg, and Josh Coburn all got on the scoresheet as Middlesbrough beat Leeds United 3-0.
Boro have now broken two unwanted streaks in their opening two matches of the season so far.
They ended a 10-year wait for a win on the opening day versus Swansea and also secured their first victory over Leeds since 2018.
Derby vs Middlesbrough score prediction
While Middlesbrough are flying high in the early stages of 2024/25, it has been a less positive August for Derby County so far.
Paul Warne guided the Rams to promotion from League One last term but the realities of stepping up to the Championship have already become clear for the Derbyshire outfit.
Derby faced Blackburn Rovers in their season opener – a game that was expected to be a reasonable test for the newly promoted team.
However, despite Blackburn finishing in the bottom half in the previous season and struggling in the transfer market, they smashed Derby 4-2.
Now, EFL pundit Sam Parkin has shared his score prediction for Boro’s upcoming meeting with Warne’s side.
Speaking on The Championship Check-In podcast, Parkin backed Middlesbrough to come away with a 1-0 win.
He said: “Do I give Derby a point? No, I’m going to stay with my inkling. I’m going to go for Boro to get another 1-0 on the board.
“I just think that feel-good factor from the back end last season, especially Latte Lath, really enjoyed that debut from Aidan Morris as well, looked the part in midfield.
“I think Derby are going to be competitive but maybe going to be up against it after a couple of disappointing results. 1-0 Boro.”
Middlesbrough must avoid key mistake against Derby County
On paper, Middlesbrough should have little issue coming away from Pride Park with three points this weekend.
However, Boro must avoid a repeat of a key mistake they made in the 2023/24 season, which cost them a place in the play-offs.
The Teessiders started the previous campaign in dismal form, securing just two points from their opening seven games.
Middlesbrough have already bettered that record after their opening weekend win, but their display against Swansea was still not up to their usual high standards.
Barring the opening half-hour, Carrick’s men looked nowhere close to their best and gave the Welsh side plenty of chances to equalise.
If Boro want to make a proper promotion push this time around, they need to cut out those mistakes, even against weaker opposition.
The Reds failed to beat now-relegated Rotherham United twice in 2023/24 and will be hoping to avoid similar struggles versus Derby.