Following an emphatic away success, league leaders Middlesbrough return to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon, when Charlton Athletic will be the visitors for a Championship battle.

Boro dominated at the base of Bolton Wanderers last Friday night, whilst the Addicks suffered a disappointing loss at home to Norwich City a day later.

Match preview

After a couple of false dawns on the promotion-hunting front, it appears as if Middlesbrough are the real deal under Kim Hellberg this season, especially considering their most recent performance.

Despite disrupting some of the Championship's biggest names already this term, Bolton were absolutely no match for Boro, who secured a 5-1 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium last Friday.

Netting either side of the half-time whistle in that win over the Wanderers, Will Lankshear has scored 11 goals across his opening 12 league appearances for Middlesbrough, who are benefitting massively from finding a clinical striker during the summer transfer window.

Aiming to extend their unbeaten run in the second tier to 11 matches this Saturday, Hellberg's side are sitting pretty at the summit of the Championship rankings, two points above second-placed Swansea City.

Boro are unbeaten across six league fixtures (W4 D2) at the Riverside so far in 2026-27, with Saturday's hosts last losing a competitive fixture on Teesside against Portsmouth in the middle of April.

Since that standout success at the home of title favourites West Ham United in late August, Charlton's influence on the Championship has declined significantly, with the Londoners currently in the midst of a nine-game winless streak (D5 L4).

Nathan Jones's strugglers have gathered just two points from four league contests since returning from the September/October international break, losing back-to-back games to Watford (0-2) and Norwich (1-3) recently.

Looking to avoid three consecutive second-tier defeats for the first time since December 2025, Charlton are currently in 19th spot in the Championship standings, six points above the bottom three.

Apart from that famous late-summer triumph at the London Stadium, the Addicks have failed to win any of their league away matches, finding the net on just four occasions across those five other battles.

A shining positive for Charlton amid a troubling run of form, Tyreece Campbell is enjoying a truly breakthrough campaign in the Championship, providing five goal contributions in 12 matches so far.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

Charlton Athletic Championship form:

Team News

Yet to kick a competitive ball for Middlesbrough, Rokas Pukstas is nursing a muscular injury sustained in October.

Further reducing the attacking options of Hellberg, striker David Strelec has not made a matchday squad since September due to an injury.

There are also problems at the back for Boro to battle against, with centre-back Alfie Jones sidelined because of a calf issue.

Charlton are down a centre-back for the remainder of the season owing to Collins Sichenje's serious knee injury.

Veterans of the Championship scene, Matt Godden and Nathaniel Chalobah are both doubts for this weekend.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Vitek; Brittain, Phillips, Malanda, Borges; Morris, Berhalter; Cozier-Duberry, McGree, Conway; Lankshear

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:

Okonkwo; Ramsay, Jones, Koumetio, Mesik; Coventry, Rankin-Costello; Campbell, Carey, Leaburn; Kelman

We say: Middlesbrough 2-0 Charlton Athletic

Last tasting league defeat in August, Middlesbrough are the standout side in the Championship at present.

As a result, Boro should make light work of dispatching a Charlton outfit who are lacking in confidence and quality.

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