Middlesbrough

Image source, Opta

We're back with a bang after the international break as Middlesbrough mark their 150th anniversary with the visit of Wolves to the Riverside (15:00 BST).

Going into the weekend Boro sit third, a point ahead of Wolves, who have played one game fewer.

Both sides have lost just once in the Championship this season, and, depending on West Ham's result on Friday night and Swansea's on Saturday lunchtime, could be in position to take over at the top of the table with a win on Teesside.

• This is the first league meeting between Middlesbrough and Wolves since the 2017-18 season, when Wolves won both games (1-0 home, 2-1 away) on their way to winning the Championship title.

• Wolves are looking to win three consecutive league games against Middlesbrough for the first time.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in six Championship games (W3 D3), last enjoying a longer unbeaten run in their first eight games last season under Rob Edwards.

• Wolverhampton Wanderers have won four of their past six league games (D1 L1), more than in their previous 43 combined (W3 D13 L27). They are looking to keep three clean sheets in a row for the first time since January 2022, while they last won three in a row without conceding in June 2020.

• Only one player has made more dribbles in the Championship this season than Wolves' Mateus Mane (32). It's the most per 90 minutes (5.8) by a Wolves player in a league season since Adama Traore in 2022-23 (6.1).

In a bonus episode of the BBC's Football Daily podcast, John Bennett is joined by BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore and 72+ EFL podcast host and former Reading and Watford winger Jobi McAnuff to react to the Spygate verdict.

An FA regulatory commission has handed Southampton boss Tonda Eckert a suspended six-week ban for his involvement in the Spygate scandal, but do the panel think is it a fair outcome?

Blackmore said: "I thought he'd get maybe three to five games per [FA] charge and it would be a difficult decision for the club - do we wait for him to come back, do we move on?

"I think he's lucky, but I am pleased it is all over and it looks like they can move on. I think he's paid a fairly hefty price, even if it hasn't come in the dugout in the next few weeks."

Eckert was fined £28,000 for authorising three instances of spying on opponents before games - including last season's Championship play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough.

Saints were expelled from the play-off final as a result - after beating Boro over two legs - and were also handed a four-point deduction this season.

McAnuff feels Eckert "got off very, very lightly".

He added: "Ultimately he's not going to miss any time on that sideline.

"Southampton fans, players and staff who had no knowledge have been incredibly harshly punished - I think justly.

"I feel, ultimately, one man was responsible for that. I cannot understand how the commission has come to the conclusion that he won't face any time off the touchline.

"It's a real shock and certainly something I didn't see coming. When you step over the line that should have severe repercussions and I don't think we've seen that with the sanctions that have been handed down."

With Middlesborough the club to have uncovered Saints' spying, fan and editor of Fly Me To The Moon fanzine, Robert Nichols, also offers his thoughts on what this decision feels like from a Boro perspective.

Listen to the full episode here.

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough forward David Strelec scored for Slovakia as they continued their unbeaten run in the Nations League with a 4-0 win in Moldova.

The 25-year-old opened the scoring in Chisinau to help his country to a third win in four games.

The goal is Strelec's 11th for Slovakia and his first since a 2-0 friendly win over Romania in March.

Slovakia are top of League C, Group Three with 10 points, six ahead of both the Faroe Islands and Moldova as they seek promotion to League B.

Image source, Shutterstock

Middlesbrough fan Dana Malt fears the side may have a sense of "complacency" after they scraped a 2-2 draw with Birmingham on Saturday.

Boro were able to capitalise on a mistake from Blues goalkeeper James Beadle to equalise in the 88th minute, but Malt's concern comes from the side's own errors to concede.

A chaotic corner saw Riley McGree score an own goal and while Adilson Malanda may have scored his maiden goal for the club to earn them a point, he was also involved in the build-up the other end.

"Why are we so vulnerable from crosses into our box?" Malt said. "We have to two 6"4' defenders and a 6"6' keeper - am I missing something?

"I know height doesn't necessarily equal being good in the air but half of the goals that we've conceded this season in all competitions have come from crosses into the box.

"It feels like there is complacency into our games at times, typified by that lax moment from Malanda in the build up to their goal."

Listen to more reaction including interviews with Kim Hellberg and Luke Ayling below or on BBC Sounds here.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match after Middlesbrough came back to earn a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City.

Here are some of your comments:

Birmingham City fans

Kevin: Beadle is again a liability and has again cost us points. Poor managers decision again to substitute forward players for midfielders towards the end of the game, which inevitably leads to pressure on our goal (no out-ball) and yet another late equaliser. No lessons are ever learnt.

John: Feels like two points dropped, refereeing was horrendous, poor error from Beadle to lose the ball (but then again it shouldn't have been a free kick in the first place).

Eleven points from the first eight games is decent going considering the tough fixture list we had, but some games so far (in particular against Wolves, Southampton and the first half an hour vs Norwich) we should have been more clinical and taken more points than we have (as well as some refereeing decision going against us like the disallowed Millar goal vs Norwich).

Ed: Always make a big mistake to put the team under pressure.

Image source, Shutterstock

Middlesbrough fans

Ken: A point away is a good point. We have to stop putting ourselves under pressure. We need to play the full 90 minutes.

Raymond: Picking the wrong players is becoming a habit.

Malcolm: Boro's manager has worked wonders and built up a great squad, but if I have a slight criticism it is that mainly players should play in their recognised positions. Malanda should be selected as a centre-back with Ayling used sparingly these days.

Sam Fletcher
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, PA Media

It was another star performance for Middlesborough's 21-year-old Brighton loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry against Birmingham.

You won't see his name on the scoresheet this time, after scoring in both of the previous two games, but he was a creative engine on the right, contributing yet again.

An "assist" doesn't credit him enough for the long, stylish run he put in for the first goal.

He showed great skill and determination skipping past multiple defenders to create an opportunity in the middle of the box for Max Arfsten.

Middlesborough might have missed the chance to go top of the league - as they were at half-time - and there is perhaps some work to do defensively.

However, there was an awful lot of quality on show as they rescued a point.

And again Cozier-Duberry stood out, made even more impressive after playing 232 minutes in just the past week.

Middlesbrough bossKim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Teesafter seeing his side score a late leveller in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at St Andrew's.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

A longer international break can help the quality of the Championship as well as give new players a chance to acclimatise, according to Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg.

This weekend wil be the final games for Championship clubs for three weeks as they take a break while four Nations League fixtures are played but Hellberg is relishing the chance to take stock.

Boro have played 10 fixtures in league and cup since their 2025-26 season kicked off on 7 August but, after Saturday's game at Birmingham, will not take to the field again until they host Wolves on 10 October.

"It's been crazy where we've had the fourth week in a row with a game in the middle of it but this is the last game before the international break which will be good for us," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"When you have so many players coming in in such a short amount of time and you're still playing games, that's been the biggest challenge and when you travel and play games all the time it's difficult for the players to prove themselves."

Middlesbrough are third in the table and may have the chance to go top with a win at St Andrew's on Saturday (15:00 BST) and the Boro boss is hoping after the weekend a rest will help him strengthen his side's chances of promotion.

"It's a bit longer than usual so you to treat it a bit differently which can benefit the league. It's been full-on for the teams, especially the ones doing well in the cup who have been playing a lot of games," he said.

"We're going into a crazy period of time around Christmas so hopefully it can benefit the quality of the league in general and for us it comes at a good time.

"We can train the players and get them up to fitness and give the new players a possibility to get in the team and work through their fitness in training."

Listen to more Middlesbrough interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Birmingham City are hoping to pick up their first home win of the season when they face Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Boro head to the Midlands on a five-game unbeaten in in the Championship.

• Birmingham City have lost each of their past seven Championship games against Middlesbrough since a 2-0 win in October 2021 under Lee Bowyer.

• Middlesbrough have won seven of their past eight league visits to Birmingham, including their last five in a row since a 2-1 defeat in October 2019.

• Birmingham have drawn all three of their home games in the Championship this season, one of two sides to do so, along with Cardiff. The last sides to draw each of their first four home matches of a campaign in the division were both the Blues themselves and Ipswich in 2018-19 (both drew first 5).

• Middlesbrough have scored in each of their past 11 league games (W6 D4 L1); they last enjoyed a longer run in August 2018 (19 games).

• No side has earned more points from losing positions in the Championship this season than Middlesbrough (7), four of which have come across their last two matches against Norwich (3) and Millwall (1).

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Tees after Boro's second half comeback at home to Millwall, in which they came from two down at the interval to draw 2-2.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.