Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick will hope for an improved showing this weekend after a poor display at home to Plymouth prompted a chorus of boos to ring around The Riverside last Saturday.
The 2-0 defeat was a low point in the season and left the Teesside club closer to the relegation places than the play-off spots.
Carrick accepted full responsibility for that loss, saying ‘it’s on me’ after admitting that the tactical approach failed to achieve the objective. But despite sitting 11 points off 6th place, the Middlesbrough Head Coach remains upbeat and optimistic about his side’s chances this weekend against a Stoke City outfit that are struggling themselves.
Positive injury news for Middlesbrough
Taking each individual game as it comes may sound very cliche, but it has become a regular turn of phrase to Carrick who has always maintained that the most important game is the next one. One of the reasons he may feel positively about his side’s chances is the return of the club’s number nine, Emmanuel Latte Lath. Middlesbrough have suffered from torrid luck with injuries to both of their recognised strikers this season. Josh Coburn is still out with a groin issue, but Latte Lath looks ready to be unleashed on Championship defences once again.
In his pre-match presser, Carrick said:
“He was looking good and looking sharp, scoring goals before he got injured the first time and that’s a set-back, but hopefully we can get Manu back firing and back sharp and back playing football and training enough to get him back to that level.”
The Ivorian has not been rushed back from the ankle injury he sustained against Chelsea, he has been eased back into contention over a number of weeks. Desperate to make an impression, Latte Lath was introduced as a substitute in the Plymouth defeat for the last 30 minutes and could be in line for a start versus Stoke. His sharpness and dynamism has been sorely missed and he remains the club’s top scorer in all competitions with seven goals.
Josh Coburn, Isaiah Jones and Dael Fry are all still missing, and with Jonny Howson expected back in training next week, and Hayden Hackney still a number of weeks away, there were no fresh injury concerns to report.
Notable changes after Plymouth defeat
As disappointing as the result and performance was last week against Plymouth, it was more the approach and strategy that failed to impress. Fans questioned the decision to switch back to a back four after seeing such success with the wing-back system in the win away at Leicester. That is unlikely to change though, with Carrick likely to once again line up in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. However, there could still be one or two casualties from that 11 last Saturday.
Sami Silvera, who was utilised unsuccessfully in a wide left position, could make way for central striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, with Riley McGree undertaking his more accustomed role on the left of midfield. Lukas Engel could come back in after Leicester loanee Luke Thomas struggled to fulfill the brief of playing as a deeper lying left-back.
Elsewhere, Matt Clarke could be favoured over the 28-year-old Paddy McNair at centre-back in what could be a more physical encounter against the Potters.
Here is how we expect Middlesbrough to line up…
GK – Tom Glover
LB – Lukas Engel
RB – Luke Ayling
CB- Matt Clarke
CB – Rav van den Berg
CM – Dan Barlaser
CM – Lewis O’Brien
LW – Riley McGree
RW – Marcus Forss
CAM – Finn Azaz
ST – Emmanuel Latte Lath