Tony Pulis may make changes for out-of-form Middlesbrough

Posted Thursday, March 28, 2019 by PA

Tony Pulis has a clean bill of health as he attempts to revive Middlesbrough’s Sky Bet Championship promotion drive against leaders Norwich.

Fifth-placed Boro head into the showdown on the back of three successive defeats and six points adrift of automatic promotion with nine games to play, one more than most of their rivals.

Darren Randolph, Dael Fry, Paddy McNair, Mo Besic and George Saville all returned from international duty unscathed and are available for the big game at the Riverside Stadium.

Manager Pulis made three changes for the last game – with Fry, Saville and Jordan Hugill replacing Besic, Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga – and he may shuffle his pack once again as he looks for the right formula.

Norwich boss Daniel Farke is unlikely to make changes for the trip to Teesside having named the same starting XI for the club’s run of six successive wins.

He too has had key men away for international fixtures, but with no midweek fixture next week Farke could stick with with his settled side.

Striker Teemu Pukki, who has scored 24 league goals this season but none in his last five games for club and country, played all but seven minutes of Finland’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Italy and Armenia, but is expected to keep his place in the side ahead of former Boro striker Jordan Rhodes.

Max Aarons, Jamal Lewis, Ben Godfrey and Kenny McLean were also on international duty but should be fine for the Canaries, who are four points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the table.