No new injuries for Middlesbrough ahead of Sheffield Wednesday clash

Posted Friday, September 27, 2019 by PA

Manager Jonathan Woodgate has no new injury worries as Middlesbrough look to seal back-to-back home wins for the first time this season against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The match will come too soon for Benin striker Rudy Gestede (hamstring), who was injured on international duty and is due to step up his recovery in training this weekend.

Defender Hayden Coulson (tendon) and captain George Friend (ruptured tendon) are still absent through injury.

Midfielder Jonny Howson (hernia) returned to the bench as an unused substitute during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Cardiff and could feature as the hosts look to return to winning ways.

Wednesday are hoping to bounce back from Tuesday night’s 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Everton and build on a two-match unbeaten league run as they start the fixture four points better off than their hosts.

Former Boro boss Garry Monk returns to the Riverside in the opposition dugout after taking charge at the Owls earlier this month and could rotate his squad again after making eight changes in the cup.

Captain Tom Lees is likely to miss out again after sitting out the last four games with a hamstring injury he sustained in the warm-up prior to the match against QPR at the end of August.

Record signing Jordan Rhodes is pushing for a start after coming off the bench in midweek.