Two Championship teams will lock horns in the second round of the EFL Cup at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Middlesbrough welcoming Stoke City.
Boro will enter the contest off the back of a 2-2 draw with Portsmouth in the Championship on Saturday, while Stoke were beaten 2-1 at home by West Bromwich Albion on the same afternoon.
Middlesbrough have made a relatively solid start to their 2024-25 Championship campaign, picking up four points from their three matches to sit ninth in the table, just a point off the playoff positions.
Michael Carrick's side beat Swansea City in their league opener on August 10, but they then lost 1-0 at Derby County on August 17 before drawing 2-2 at home to Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon.
Boro were actually moments away from losing on Saturday, but a penalty from Tommy Conway in the 90th minute allowed them to secure a share of the spoils at the Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough were impressive in the first round of this season's EFL Cup, meanwhile, beating fellow Championship outfit Leeds United 3-0 to breeze into the second round.
Boro won the League Cup back in 2004, beating Bolton Wanderers in the final, and while a cup run would be good for morale this season, there is no question that the league is more important for the club.
Stoke, meanwhile, also won their Championship opener at home to Coventry City on August 10, before recording a 2-0 victory over Carlisle United in the first round of the EFL Cup.
The Potters have been beaten in their last two games, though, suffering a 3-0 loss at Watford in the league on August 17 before going down 2-1 at home to West Brom in the Championship on Saturday.
Steven Schumacher's side fell behind in the 18th minute of the game with the Baggies before Lewis Koumas levelled in the 29th minute, but Josh Maja's strike proved to be the difference between the two sides.
Stoke have also won the League Cup on one previous occasion, lifting the trophy in 1972 courtesy of a 2-1 success over Chelsea in the final at Wembley Stadium.
The Potters are actually on a four-game unbeaten run against Middlesbrough, including 2-0 victories in both Championship matches last season, with their last loss to Boro coming back in April 2022.
Middlesbrough are again expected to be missing four players through injury on Tuesday, with Jonny Howson, Tommy Smith, Marcus Forss and Alex Bangura on the sidelines.
Head coach Carrick will make changes to the side that started against Portsmouth, with Josh Coburn in line for a spot in the final third of the field, while Solomon Brynn is set to be introduced between the sticks.
The same back four that started against Portsmouth could again feature, including Luke Ayling, but there could be a change in the middle of the park, with Daniel Barlaser likely to be introduced.
As for Stoke, Ben Pearson, Enda Stevens, Michael Rose and Sam Gallagher are on the sidelines.
The Potters did not pick up any fresh issues against West Brom on Saturday, but head coach Schumacher will shuffle his pack for this League Cup fixture, with Frank Fielding, Lewis Baker, Wouter Burger and Jaden Dixon among those expected to be introduced into the XI.
Dixon, 17, made his debut in the last round of the competition against Carlisle, and he should again be among the starters here, while on-loan Liverpool teenager Koumas is set to continue in the final third.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup: Brynn; Dijksteel, Ayling, Clarke, Engel; Barlaser, Morris; Jones, Gilbert, Burgzorg; Coburn
Stoke City possible starting lineup: Fielding; Dixon, Wilmot, Anderson, Johnson; Sidibe, Burger, Baker; Manhoef, Ennis, Koumas
This is a tricky game to call, as both managers will make changes on Tuesday, and it is a match that could go either way. Middlesbrough will be able to call upon home advantage, though, and we are backing Carrick's team to navigate their way into the third round of the competition.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke: Team News & Injury Updates
Middlesbrough will be without four players through injury for their Carabao Cup clash with Stoke City, with Jonny Howson, Tommy Smith, Marcus Forss and Alex Bangura all sidelined.
Michael Carrick has confirmed that he will be making changes to his side for the game, with Josh Coburn set to lead the line and Solomon Brynn in goal. Daniel Barlaser is also expected to be involved.
Stoke City will be without Ben Pearson, Enda Stevens, Michael Rose and Sam Gallagher due to injury.
However, Steven Schumacher has confirmed that he will be making changes to his squad for the game, with Frank Fielding, Lewis Baker, Wouter Burger and Jaden Dixon among those expected to be introduced into the XI.
Dixon, who made his debut in the last round of the competition against Carlisle, is set to start again, while on-loan Liverpool teenager Lewis Koumas is also expected to feature.
Middlesbrough's Focus on Youth
Middlesbrough have been placing a lot of focus on encouraging younger fans to the Riverside, with Michael Carrick hoping to protect the future of the club by enticing the next generation of the Boro faithful.
Clubs like Boro will always compete with the so-called Premier League giants for supporters - with many, and young ages, lured in by the star power at clubs such as Manchester United, Manchester City and so on. With Carrick often noting the importance of Boro fans both home and away, there has been a big push of late to encourage the younger generation to begin their journey to becoming Boro fans.
As well as a recent fun day as part of the Heerenveen home friendly, this week Boro also saw almost 9,000 supporters turn up at the Riverside for an open training session in which the players and coaches made plenty of time to interact with young fans. On top of that, next week's Carabao Cup second-round clash with Stoke City has been made a 7.15 pm kick-off - 30 minutes earlier than the standard kick-off time - in the hope of enticing families and younger fans for the game, with discounted ticket prices for the same reason.
Of the club's hopes with such schemes, Carrick said: “The open training day was a big success and I really enjoyed it. I’d like to thank everyone who turned out. I thought it was a really good afternoon and it was nice to see so many young faces shouting and screaming and having that enthusiasm to see the players up close, which they don’t get a chance to do that often. The boys really responded to that and enjoyed it as well.
“I think [the Stoke game kick-off] it’s a really good idea at a good time of the year with the school holidays. It gives the younger generation a chance to come - whether it’s their first time, second time etc. we want them to enjoy coming and wanting to come again.
“I think that’s an important part of growing the club and evolving the fanbase, protecting the future of the club. Days like Monday and the work we do in and around the community as well to try and promote the club in a positive manner hopefully all helps. Certainly, the decision for the earlier kick off is a really good idea and hopefully we can create a really good atmosphere and a special night.
“If it’s anyone’s first time to come and sample that experience and atmosphere, hopefully it won’t just be a one-time thing because they’ll want to come back for more.”
A Tale of Two Clubs
Both Middlesbrough and Stoke City are looking to build on their recent successes. Middlesbrough made it to the semi-finals of last season's Carabao Cup, a run which saw them win five matches before edging past Chelsea 1-0 at home in the opening leg of their last-four encounter.
While they were unable to defend their lead in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, suffering a 6-1 hiding in west London, it highlighted their capabilities. Stoke, meanwhile, won 2-0 at League Two Carlisle in the first round, but they've since suffered back-to-back Championship defeats to Watford (3-0) and West Brom (2-1).
Looking Ahead
This match is sure to be a close encounter, with both managers looking to make changes to their squads. Middlesbrough will be looking to build on their strong performance in the first round, while Stoke City will be hoping to bounce back from their recent defeats.
With home advantage on their side, Middlesbrough will be looking to progress to the third round of the competition. However, Stoke City will be a tough opponent, and this match is sure to be a closely fought affair.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting encounter.
