Middlesbrough will have head coach Neil Warnock back on the touchline for Saturday's Championship clash with Barnsley, and it will be a special occasion for the 71-year-old.
Warnock was forced to take control of the clashes with Bournemouth and Queens Park Rangers remotely after testing positive for coronavirus, but the head coach is back for what will be his 1,500th league game at the helm.
Match preview
© Reuters
Warnock underwent a two-week period of isolation after testing positive for coronavirus, meaning that he was absent from the touchline for the games with Bournemouth and Queens Park Rangers.
Boro are actually still waiting for their first league win of the campaign, losing at Watford on September 11 before back-to-back 1-1 draws with Bournemouth and QPR towards the end of last month.
It will actually be the second time that the club have faced Barnsley this season, having lost 2-0 to their Championship rivals when they locked horns in the EFL Cup on September 15.
There is no getting away from the fact that 2019-20 was a disappointing campaign for Boro as they finished down in 17th position, but Warnock will be looking for his side to push higher up the table this term.
© Reuters
Barnsley might have beaten Boro in then EFL Cup in the middle of September, but they saw their journey in the cup competition end one week later, suffering a 6-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Like their opponents this weekend, the Tykes are still waiting for their first league win of the season, picking up just one point from their three fixtures to sit 20th in the table.
Indeed, Gerhard Struber's side started their 2020-21 Championship campaign with back-to-back defeats to Luton Town and Reading before drawing 0-0 with Coventry City last weekend.
Barnsley only just survived in the second tier last term, ultimately finishing 21st, just a point ahead of 22nd-place Charlton Athletic, and it could well be another tough campaign for the club.
Middlesbrough Championship form: LDD
Middlesbrough form (all competitions): WLLDD
Barnsley Championship form: LLD
Barnsley form (all competitions): WLWLLD
Team News
© Reuters
Warnock revealed during Thursday's press conference that Ashley Fletcher could feature this weekend despite limping out of the clash with Bournemouth, but the experienced manager conceded that he could remain cautious when it comes to the attacker and instead select him after the international break.
Grant Hall is definitely out of the contest after picking up an injury against QPR last time out, meaning that Dael Fry is likely to earn a start at the back.
Chuba Akpom capped his Boro debut with a goal at Loftus Road, and the 24-year-old is expected to keep his spot alongside Britt Assombalonga in the final third of the field.
As for Barnsley, Bambo Diaby is suspended, but the visitors are otherwise in good shape when it comes to absentees for this weekend's contest.
Struber could therefore decide to select the same XI that started against Coventry, with Cauley Woodrow, Conor Chaplin and Luke Thomas featuring in attacking positions.
That said, Elliot Simoes and Patrick Schmidt are both pushing for starts, having featured off the bench in the team's goalless draw last time out.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Bettinelli, Dijksteel, Fry, McNair; Spence, Tavernier, Howson, Saville, Johnson; Assombalonga, Akpom
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Walton; Sollbauer, Helik, Andersen; Williams, Mowatt, Styles, Ludewig; Chaplin, Thomas, Woodrow
We say: Middlesbrough 2-1 Barnsley
Boro will view this match as the perfect opportunity to put three points on the board, and we expect the home side to emerge victorious on Saturday. Warnock's return to the touchline should boost the team, and Boro will fancy their chances of triumphing at the Riverside Stadium.
