Championship outfit Middlesbrough will welcome League One side Barnsley to the Riverside Stadium for their first-round clash in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.
The hosts are still seeking their first victory of the new campaign, while the visitors claimed all three points in their most recent league clash against Cheltenham Town.
Match preview
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After claiming a point in their opening Championship game of the 2022-23 campaign at home to West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough were condemned to a 3-2 away loss at Queens Park Rangers last weekend.
Chris Wilder was left frustrated with his side's first-half performance as QPR raced into a 3-0 lead within the first 38 minutes courtesy of strikes from Chris Willock, Jimmy Dunne and Lyndon Dykes.
Boro fought back with goals from Matt Crooks and summer signing Marcus Forss either side of half time, and Paddy McNair had a goal disallowed for offside before centre-back Darragh Lenihan was shown a straight red card for a cynical foul in stoppage time, with QPR holding on to claim all three points.
Wilder believes that the next few weeks in the transfer market will be 'pivotal' if they are to mount a serious promotion push this season, and the 54-year-old is keen for several new signings to be made with the near £30m that they have recouped from the sales of Djed Spence and Marcus Tavernier.
Middlesbrough will now turn their attention to Wednesday's EFL Cup clash with Barnsley, and will be seeking revenge against the South Yorkshire side who have beaten them in four of their last six meetings, including a 3-2 away loss in the Championship in February of last season.
Since winning the EFL Cup back in 2004, Boro have only progressed as far as the quarter-finals on two occasions, and in the last two campaigns they have failed to make it to the third round.
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Barnsley bounced back from their opening-weekend defeat at Plymouth Argyle with a slender 1-0 win at home to Cheltenham Town on Saturday.
Michael Duff got one over his former side, who he managed for four years before joining to Tykes this summer, with Luke Thomas scoring the only goal of the game midway through the second half.
Duff has urged his players to build on their narrow victory and maintain their high standards ahead of a challenging week, which will see them face Middlesbrough away from home in the EFL Cup before returning to League One action with a trip to Derby County next weekend.
Barnsley's strongest showing in the EFL Cup came back in the 1981-82 campaign when they reached the quarter-finals for the first and only time in their history. The Tykes took European Cup winners Liverpool to a replay following a goalless draw at Anfield, before losing the return fixture 3-1 on home soil, with Graeme Souness, David Johnson and Kenny Dalglish all on the scoresheet for the visitors.
Prior to losing on penalties against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup first round last season, Barnsley secured a 2-0 second-round win against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on September 15, 2020, before ultimately suffering a 6-0 away loss to Chelsea in the third round just eight days later.
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Team News
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Middlesbrough centre-back Lenihan will miss Wednesday's game through suspension, with Dael Fry expected to come into the side as a result.
Summer signing Liam Roberts could be handed his competitive debut in goal ahead of loan recruit Zack Steffen, who has started the first two league games between the sticks.
Tommy Smith, Paddy McNair and Chuba Akpom, who all began on the bench last weekend, will all be hoping to force their way into the first XI, the latter of whom could replace either Forss or Duncan Watmore in attack.
As for Barnsley, Matty Wolfe missed last weekend's win after suffering a knock in training and the midfielder remains doubtful for Wednesday's clash.
Michal Helik is set to remain sidelined with a thigh injury, so a back three of Conor McCarthy, Mads Andersen and Liam Kitching could remain intact.
Devante Cole will be pushing to start in attack ahead of either James Norwood or Jack Aitchison after beginning on the bench last weekend.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Roberts; Dijksteel, Fry, McNair; Smith, McGree, Crooks, Howson, Giles; Forss, Akpom
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Collins; McCarthy, Andersen, Kitching; Williams, Benson, Thomas, Styles, Cadden; Cole, Norwood
We say: Middlesbrough 2-1 Barnsley
Middlesbrough are yet to set the word alight in the Championship but will be hoping for more joy in the EFL Cup against third-tier opposition this weekend.
Barnsley will fancy their chances of causing an upset, but we can see the hosts coming out on top with a slender victory to open their account for the new season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
