Preview:Middlesbrough vs Ipswich Town - prediction, team news, lineups

On their return from the second international break of the season, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town will raise the curtain on the Championship weekend in a contest at the Riverside Stadium on Friday.

The hosts dropped to second spot before the break in their first league defeat of the season, while their visitors continued their climb up the table with an East Anglian Derby win.

Match preview

Middlesbrough return to Championship action on Saturday aiming to get back to winning ways and return to the top of the table, having seen their unbeaten start brought to an end before the international break.

Following the summer appointment of Rob Edwards, they enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025-26 term, winning five and drawing three of their first eight outings, scoring 12 goals along the way and only conceding five.

That did culminate in draws against Southampton and Stoke City, though, with the latter ending goalless, before Boro headed to Portsmouth for their ninth league game of the season in early October.

Edwards's men left empty-handed for the first time, though, falling to a 1-0 defeat having failed to find a leveller after Yang Min-hyeok opened the scoring for their hosts in the 23rd minute.

Now returning from the break in second spot of England's second tier, one point behind leaders Coventry City and two ahead of third-placed Leicester City, Middlesbrough will bid to bounce back on Friday and make it 13 points from five home league matches to regain top spot.

They face a tough test, though, with the visitors having started to build momentum in impressive fashion before the break.

After suffering relegation from the Premier League last time around, Ipswich Town set out to immediately return to England's top flight, but they were only able to pick up three points from their first four outings.

Kieran McKenna's side would seemingly kick into gear after the first international break of the campaign, though, putting first notches in their wins column in 5-0 and 2-1 triumphs over Sheffield United and Ipswich Town respectively either side of an abandoned trip to Blackburn Rovers.

Then on the back of a 1-1 draw with Bristol City, the Tractor Boys welcomed rivals Norwich City to Portman Road before the break and ended a 16-year wait for an East Anglian Derby win, dishing out a 3-1 beating having initially led through Cedric Kipre and been pegged back before Jaden Philogene-Bidace and Jack Clarke earned them the three points.

Now heading back into action from the break having climbed up to ninth spot with an unbeaten run and started to show their quality, Ipswich Town will aim to pick up where they left off in early October and crack the top six with another victory.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

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Ipswich Town Championship form:

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Team News

Middlesbrough will remain without defender Darragh Lenihan and midfielder Riley McGree on Friday due to ongoing injuries.

Edwards may field an unchanged starting XI from their trip to Portsmouth before the break, although Morgan Whittaker, David Strelec and Delano Burgzorg will all compete for attacking spots after Sontje Hansen and Kaly Sene flanked Tommy Conway last time out.

Manchester City loanee Sverre Nypan is also in contention for a spot after making his senior Norway debut at the age of 18 years old on Tuesday, although Edwards is bound to stick with the pairing of Aidan Morris and talisman Hayden Hackney in the middle of their 3-4-3 setup.

Ipswich Town could be unchanged from their East Anglian Derby win over Norwich City before the international break, with Conor Townsend and Wes Burns confined to the treatment room.

Jack Clarke has a claim to come in from the outset, though, having come off the bench to score his fourth goal in a five-match span in that game, while Jaden Philogene will remain a key man in support of striker George Hirst having moved onto five league goals for the season last time out.

Sindre Walle Egeli, Chuba Akpom, Ivan Azon and Sammie Szmodics are also competing for attacking spots in McKenna's deep squad, while Jens Cajuste and Azor Matusiwa should again partner up in the engine room despite competition from Marcelino Nunez.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Ayling, Fry, Jones; Brittain, Morris, Hackney, Targett; Whittaker, Strelec, Conway

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Palmer; Furlong, O'Shea, Kipre, Davis; Matusiwa, Cajuste; Clarke, Szmodics, Philogene; Hirst

We say: Middlesbrough 1-1 Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town certainly headed into the international break with more momentum than Friday's hosts, who have seen a slight drop-off after their strong start, but a trip to the Riverside is still a tough proposition, and we see a share of the points as the most likely outcome on Friday.

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