In the midst of a trying spell of four league games without a win, an upcoming match against league leaders Leicester City poses a significant challenge for Middlesbrough as they aim to revive their top-six aspirations with 15 games left in the season. While Michael Carrick acknowledges that his team will be underdogs, he also sees the trip to the King Power Stadium as an opportunity to ignite a turnaround.
Given Leicester’s formidable quality and collective talent, Carrick may consider altering the formation of the team. In previous matches, Boro used both a back three and a traditional 4-2-3-1 formation to varying degrees of success. With pacey wing-back options Isaiah Jones and Alex Bangura unavailable, Carrick’s decision may be affected accordingly.
Scoring goals has been a significant challenge for Boro, particularly due to the absence of a dedicated centre-forward. Carrick may once again look to forwards Sam Greenwood and Sammy Silvera to bolster the attack, possibly even moving Greenwood to a more advanced role or accommodating Marcus Forss as a center-forward.
Issues of midfield balance have also plagued Boro recently, although the return of Hayden Hackney was a positive sign. Carrick may opt to pair Hackney with Lewis O’Brien for added energy in midfield, or alternatively, rely on veteran Jonny Howson’s experience.
The final decision Carrick faces is in the goalkeeper position, where either Tom Glover or Seny Dieng could start. With Glover’s recent struggles, Carrick must weigh his options carefully.
