Preview: Middlesbrough v Coventry in 2nd leg of Championship play off semi-final
The Boro know a win will see them head to Wembley to face Luton Town.
Last updated 17th May 2023
Middlesbrough welcome Coventry to the Riverside Stadium to conclude their Sky Bet Championship semi-final play-off on Wednesday evening.
The two teams shook hands on a 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Coventry Building Society Arena, despite both clubs’ strikers leading in the league charts for goals scored this season.
Middlesbrough finished fourth in the league, while Coventry finished fifth, with just five points separating the pair.
Michael Carrick’s men will be hopeful they can go a step closer to achieving Premier League football once again, following their six-year absence from the competition.
The Middlesbrough boss has reinforced how important their fans are in giving the squad a boost in the lead up to the second leg:
“We’ll obviously prepare and plan and go into the game as best we can, but there is no hiding from the fact that fans can provide that extra adrenaline and spark and it’s vital to give us that extra boost. I’m sure the boys will feed off it and respond to it very well.
“We hope it’s bouncing” he added.
If the game is to follow on from their previous leg and the historical record of the two clubs clashing, it will undoubtedly be a close affair with a ticket to Wembley at stake for the winner.
Yet, it is The Boro who have the marginal upper hand at home, as they head into the fixture 13 games unbeaten against Coventry across all competitions at The Riverside Stadium. However, the Sky Blues also boast an impressive away record and will hope to extend their unbeaten stretch of nine games away from home.
The hosts last featured in the top division in the 2016-17 season, however their time at the top was cut short to only one season before the club suffered its third relegation to the Championship.
On the other hand, Coventry, who were inaugural members of the Premier League, are fighting for a place in the top division for the first time since their last stint in the competition which was in the 2000-01 season.