Live on

Birmham vs Mboro
Sky Bet Chship
7:45pm Friday 4th October

St. Andrews Stadium

Birmingham confront Middlesbrough at the Sky Bet Championship on Friday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Birmingham welcome back Jacques Maghoma along with Marc Roberts into their squad. As he fights with a niggling calf issue, although winger Maghoma was rested, defender Roberts missed the midweek defeat at Wigan with a tight hamstring.
Boss Pep Clotet has confirmed the duo have been in contention, saying:Marc and Jacques are great, no problem. Present registering Josh McEachran is alsogetting closer to being included, together with the other U23 run-out pencilled in for Friday.
Middlesbrough will assess the fitness of returning midfielder Jonny Howson before the excursion. Tuesdays 1-1 draw at home to Preston has been Howsons very first match in three weeks following hernia operation and boss Jonathan Woodgate is going to be eager to facilitate him back softly.
Howson was one of four changes to Boros starting line-up in midweek, with Marcus Tavernier, Marcus Browne and Daniel Ayala also coming in. They will hope to continue to keep their spots, even though Woodgate has signaled a shift in approach and impressed. You cant always be pretty and nice, he explained. Sometimes you have to grind it out, graft and perform the horrible things of this game and well do this on Friday.
Neither side comes into this match at the top of form. Middlesbrough have not 13 points to date this season than Birmingham, but have dropped three matches on the spin. Wigan, Derby and Preston have conquered them going into this battle at St Andrews.
Middlesbrough are also without a win in three, but did at least pick up a point at home to Preston in midweek to finish a run of two straight defeats, including a 4-1 thumping in the home to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. They start the weekend 20th at the table.
Pep Clotet:I put myself under increasing pressure to acquire since I think we have the ability in this club to not just bounce back – but also to reverse benefits. I really dont feel any kind of pressure in the club or some portion of it – we are all very conscious where we come from, all of the work we needed to place in the summertime, the way the situation was.
Were centered on the simple fact that still the staff was able to perform the very best start in 11 years, we are just four things off the play-offs, we have more points than last year. I believe it is a moment where we all must sit down, calm down and concentrate a great deal on trying to have the result against Middlesbrough.
Jonathan Woodgate:Its not how you start the season its how you end. I think thats the most significant thing. I was chatting to Alex (Neil) after the Preston match and he stated last year that they had five points after 10 games.
Its important you ride out, you stay together as a golf club and the fans stay together, they stay patient, I know that its hard for them, but that is what you require.
Woodgate was Real Madrid, won England caps and played in the Champions League, but nothing in his own career has so much felt better to him than leading out his hometown club as a manager.
The defender took charge at the summer following the death of Tony Pulis, whom he had previously served under as a coach for 18 months at the club. He understands the importance of the club.
Only getting the task in the first place made me immensely proud, Woodgate informed Sky Bet. To be the director of my hometown club, who I have supported since I was six, it is a huge achievement for me.
Birmingham are having such an inconsistent effort. They have looked excellent and like they could have a push for the top ten, and other times they look as though they may easily slide towards the relegation zone.
Middlesbrough fans will want to provide Jonathan Woodgate time to get things because of his relations with the team, but 20th in this stage is not good enough for them. I believe the Blues will nick that one.
David Prutton forecasts: 1-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)

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