LEROY LITA has been preferred to a target-man for Middlesbrough this afternoon as manager Gordon Strachan looks to keep fading play-off dreams alive.
Lita, included at the expense of Lee Miller and Chris Killen, has been included in an exciting forward line alongside Scott McDonald in the hope that they can come up with the goals to close the six-point gap on the top six.
The only other change to the team that defeated Plymouth on Easter Monday sees young winger Jonathan Franks, who scored a late goal at Home Park, replace Jay O’Shea on the left wing.
Gary O’Neil, who will cost Middlesbrough £1m when he makes his next appearance, does not even make the bench again.
The Owls, meanwhile, were forced to make a change to their team before the match had kicked off. Winger Jermaine Johnson was called into action after Leon Clarke suffered an injury in the warm up.
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Jones; Hoyte, Wheater, McManus, Naughton; Robson, Williams, Arca, Franks; Lita, McDonald. Subs: Coyne (gk), Miller, Grounds, Taylor, Killen, O’Shea, Bennett.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (4-4-2): Grant; Nolan, Purse, Beevers, Spurr; Soares, Potter, O’Connor, Varney; Johnson, Tudgay. Subs: O’Donnell, Hinds, Jeffers, Esajas, Simek, Gray.
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