Championship leaders Middlesbrough will aim to build on a recent big win as they host a Charlton Athletic side eager to arrest their downward slide.
Kim Hellberg seems to be taking Middlesbrough into a proper promotion push after a couple of false dawns over the last few years. It appears as if the team are gelling well under the manager, as their recent displays have showcased.
Having already played disruptor to some of the Championship’s biggest names this term, Bolton Wanderers were absolutely no match for Boro, who secured a 5-1 victory last Friday night. Netting either side of the half-time whistle in that win over the Wanderers, Will Lankshear was the star of the show, as Middlesbrough stayed two points above Swansea City.
Aiming to extend their unbeaten run in the second tier to 11 matches this Saturday, Hellberg’s side have also been formidable on home soil. Middlesbrough are unbeaten across six league fixtures at the Riverside so far in 2026/27 (W4 D2), with the hosts last losing a competitive fixture on Teesside against Portsmouth back in April.
Since that standout success at the home of title favourites West Ham United in late August, Charlton’s influence on the Championship has declined significantly, with the Londoners currently in the midst of a nine-game winless streak.
Looking to avoid three consecutive defeats for the first time since December 2025, Charlton are currently in 19th spot in the Championship standings, six points above the bottom three. That cushion offers breathing room, but momentum is firmly against a side short of both confidence and cutting edge in the final third.
Apart from that famous late-summer triumph at the London Stadium, the Addicks have failed to win any of their league away matches, finding the net on just four occasions across those five other battles on the road.
Team News & Tactics
Middlesbrough
Yet to kick a competitive ball for Middlesbrough, Rokas Pukstas is nursing a muscular injury sustained in October. Further reducing the attacking options of Kim Hellberg, striker David Strelec has not made a matchday squad since September due to an injury, and there are also problems at the back, with centre-back Alfie Jones sidelined because of a calf issue.
As for the team selection, Hellberg is expected to persist with his existing shape pointing towards a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Luke Ayling and Ashley Phillips forming the central defensive pairing, with Callum Brittain and Neto Borges in the full-back roles for Middlesbrough.
Aidan Morris and Adilson Malanda will continue in central midfield for Hellberg’s side, with Riley McGree in the advanced midfield role. Amario Cozier-Duberry will continue on the right wing for the hosts, with Kyle Joseph on the other flank. Finally, the in-form Will Lankshear will lead the line for Middlesbrough against Charlton Athletic this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vitek; Brittain, Ayling, Phillips, Borges; Morris, Malanda; Cozier-Duberry, McGree, Joseph; Lankshear
Charlton Athletic
Charlton are down a centre-back for the remainder of the season owing to Collins Sichenje’s serious knee injury. Veterans of the Championship scene, Matt Godden and Nathaniel Chalobah are both doubts for this weekend, which could force Jones into reshuffling his spine.
Rob Apter is also a doubt, as Nathan Jones will persist with a back three and use wing-backs in his system for this upcoming game away at Middlesbrough. Kayne Ramsay, Billy Koumetio, and Lloyd Jones are the preferred options at the back, with Josh Edwards and Ivan Mesik in the wing-back roles.
Charlton will rely on Conor Coventry and Joe Rankin-Costello will assume the central midfield roles, while Jones will persist with using two inside forwards in Karlan Grant and Tyreece Campbell. Charlie Kelman will lead the line for the visitors, in the hope of troubling the defence of the Championship leaders on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Okonkwo; Ramsay, Koumetio, Jones; Edwards, Coventry, Rankin-Costello, Mesik; Grant, Campbell; Kelman
Key Stats
- Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their last 10 Championship matches.
- Middlesbrough sit top of the Championship, two points above second-placed Swansea City.
- Charlton Athletic are winless in nine league games (D5 L4) and have just two points from their last four.
- The Addicks have scored only four goals across their five away league games outside the West Ham win.
Player to Watch
Will Lankshear
The summer arrival has been the story of Boro’s season so far, with 11 goals in 12 league appearances and a brace either side of half-time in the 5-1 rout at Bolton Wanderers. His movement and clinical finishing will test a Charlton defence missing Collins Sichenje for the season, and if the Addicks’ winless run has drained belief.
Lankshear is exactly the type of in-form forward capable of compounding it early. Expect Charlton to try to crowd him out with a deep block, but his current confidence in front of goal makes him the likeliest match-winner on Saturday.
Prediction
Middlesbrough 2-0 Charlton Athletic
Having last tasted a league defeat in August, Middlesbrough are the standout side in the EFL Championship at present, and their home record underlines how difficult a trip to the Riverside has become. They are the overwhelming favourites to win this clash, especially against a toothless Charlton side fighting to stay relevant.
As a result, Boro should make light work of dispatching a Charlton outfit who are lacking in confidence and quality, with the visitors’ poor away scoring record pointing towards a comfortable home win and clean sheet. They will take another big step at the top while condemning their visitors to another game without a win.
