Enduring a difficult start to the new Championship campaign, the international break has perhaps come at a good time for Chris Wilder and his Middlesbrough side.

Showing glimpses of positivity in their 10 games thus far, the reality is that they have only managed to accumulate a mere 10 points from their opening 10 matches. 

It is a points tally that leaves Boro in the relegation places, however, the close and competitive nature of the start of this campaign means they are just five points from the play-off positions.

Wilder will be looking to use this two-week break to instil confidence back into his side ahead of what looks to be a relatively kind run of fixtures going into October.

Whilst we wait and see how Boro get on as this season continues, here, we take a look at Middlesbrough's strongest possible XI if injuries did not come into play...

Zach Steffen vs Liam Roberts is a very interesting battle, and whilst both have been impressive, it is the American international who perhaps edges it at this point.

 

 

Isaiah Jones may not have enjoyed the best of starts to this new campaign, however, once confidence is restored he will start to cause chaos once again.

There are lots of options for the central defensive options in this side, with Paddy McNair and Darragh Lenihan excellent options who have missed out.

However, Anfernee Dijksteel's progressive abilities make it difficult to ignore him as an option here, whilst Fry has been a consistent performer for quite some time at the Riverside Stadium.

On the left side, Matt Clarke is another progressive defender who has the physical attributes and the ball-playing capabilities required.

Maybe Massimo Luongo could feature in this after a little bit more time with the club, however, Jonny Howson's experience and expertise make him an appealing option.

Matt Crooks and Riley McGree are both good athletes with intelligent brains and it is expected that both will thrive as the season progresses.

Up front, Rodrigo Muniz has been a nuisance thus far, causing issues with his physicality and ability to link the play, whilst Duncan Watmore's pace and ability to commit defenders makes him an ideal partner.