After a ropey start to the 2022-23 Championship season, Middlesbrough are finally beginning to find their feet following back-to-back home wins.

In a summer which saw the big-money sales of Marcus Tavernier and Djed Spence, Chris Wilder has brought in a plethora of new faces that up until the last week-and-a-half had not really gelled, which had shown from the results picked up in the first five matches.

Two losses and three draws saw Boro struggling, but wins at the Riverside Stadium against Swansea City and local rivals Sunderland, with a defeat on the road at Watford sandwiched in-between, is making things look somewhat better.

 

 

 

 

Boro now sit in 17th position, and that is below this weekend's opponents in the form of Blackpool, who are in 11th place having lost just one of their last five matches.

The Seasiders were perhaps fortunate to escape with all three points against Huddersfield Town on Sunday afternoon after the Hawk-Eye technology failed at the John Smith's Stadium, denying the Terriers a second-half equaliser when the ball quite clearly appeared to go over the goal-line.

On home soil this Saturday, they face a tougher test against what should be an on-song Boro side, and in his Sky Sports predictions column, presenter and pundit David Prutton is backing Wilder's men to take all three points back to Teesside with a 2-1 victory at Bloomfield Road.

The Verdict

Losing their best player on deadline day in the form of Josh Bowler could have been a blow to Blackpool going into their next match, but they came away with all three points, even if it was fortunate.

But this will be a tougher contest against a better team, despite having the advantage of playing at home, and even taking into account the fact Boro haven't won on the road yet.

Chris Wilder's side haven't really been putting in poor performances, and you could argue that most of their draws and losses have been undeserved.

The multiple strikers Wilder brought into the club this summer need to start firing soon, and once they do, then the Championship should be worried, and this could be a good place for the likes of Rodrigo Muniz to get on the score-sheet.