Middlesbrough are one month away from their Championship opener against Swansea City on Saturday, August 10th.
Expectations are high at Middlesbrough ahead of the 2024/25 Championship campaign getting underway.
Boro have flirted with promotion in the previous two campaigns, finishing fourth and eighth.
Michael Carrick’s side missed out on the playoffs by just four points last season, in part due to their slow start.
The North East outfit failed to win their opening five games of 2023/24, something they will be keen to avoid this time around.
Middlesbrough kick off their campaign at the Riverside on August 10th versus Swansea City and Boro News have taken a look at how Carrick could line up his team for that game.
Goalkeeper and defence
There is little debate over who Carrick will start between the sticks versus Swansea, with Seny Dieng expected to maintain his number role from last term.
The 29-year-old made 35 league appearances for Middlesbrough last season and kept 10 clean sheets despite an injury crisis unfolding in front of him for much of the campaign.
Speaking of injury issues, Luke Ayling was brought in for the second half of 2023/24 to provide some much-needed depth at right-back.
Ayling went on to assist eight in 19 Championship games and has since returned to the club on a free transfer.
With Tommy Smith still on his way back from injury and the Englishman being so impressive in 2023/24, Ayling will be Boro’s main right-back in the coming campaign.
There is some debate over who will partner Rav van den Berg at the heart of Boro’s backline for the season opener.
Matt Clarke ended the campaign in top form but Dael Fry and the recently returned Darragh Lenihan have proven in the past they are quality centre-backs in England’s second tier.
Lukas Engel is expected to take the left-back spot currently, though that could change if Ryan Giles is signed before August 10th.
Midfield
When fit, Hayden Hackney and Jonny Howson were Boro’s best midfield duo in 2023/24.
The pair did not play together too often due to a long-term injury to Hackney but now he is back, they are expected to start versus Swansea.
New signing Aidan Morris should be in contention to feature at some point, but as he has never played in England before, Carrick will likely start the campaign with players he already knows can excel in the Championship.
The number 10 role will, as it did last season, go to Finn Azaz, who scored four and assisted five in 20 during his first six months with the Teessiders.
Striker and wingers
There is no question that Emmanuel Latte Lath will start for Middlesbrough against Swansea next month.
The Ivorian scored 16 in 30 league games in the previous season, including 11 in his last 12 starts.
Out wide, meanwhile, new signing Delano Burgzorg will start on the left wing now Sammy Silvera has joined Portsmouth on loan.
Middlesbrough also have limited options on the right of their attack currently. Marcus Forss is only just returning from a season-ending injury, meaning Isaiah Jones will complete the Boro eleven.
Predicted Middlesbrough XI versus Swansea: Dieng, Ayling, Clarke, Van den Berg, Engel, Howson, Hackney, Jones, Azaz, Burgzorg, Latte Lath