Michael Carrick has unsurprisingly stuck with the same team that beat Hull City for the visit of Bristol City.

In fact, it's the same 18 as midweek as Carrick looks to build-on the win at the KCOM Stadium in what is his first home game in charge.

Chuba Akpom and Marcus Forss again lead the line for Boro, with Hayden Hackney starting his third successive game since Carrick's appointment. Duncan Watmore is not fit enough to return to the squad.

Nigel Pearson has made three changes to his Bristol City team after the midweek defeat to Sheffield United.

Timm Klose, Joe Williams and Antoine Semenyo come in for the Robins, replacing George Tanner, Jay Dasilva and Mark Sykes.

Boro: Steffen, Smith, Fry, Lenihan, Giles; Jones, Howson, Hackney, McGree; Akpom, Forss

Bench: Roberts, Dijksteel, McNair, Mowatt, Muniz, Hoppe, Crooks

Bristol City: O'Leary, Vyner, Pring, Klose, Scott, Weimann, Williams, James, Semenyo, Wells, Conway

Bench: Bentley, Dasilva, Martin, King, Sykes, Bell, Low