Birmingham boss Pep Clotet delivers verdict on Middlesbrough and reveals injury boost

The Blues sit 14th in the Championship ahead of their meeting with the Teessiders but have lost their last three league games.

Boro have also struggled in recent weeks and have won just two of their ten Championship games this term.

Clotet, though, is expecting a difficult game against Jonathan Woodgate’s side, who produced a better performance against Preston North End on Tuesday night.

"Boro have a lot of quality, a high work rate, good pace, they have a lot of individual talent and they will cause us problems,” said Clotet.

“It’s a good team, they have the ability to score goals, it is going to be important that we do not allow them to have a lot of the ball."

Birmingham will also be boosted by the return of two first-team players, with defender Marc Roberts and winger Jacques Maghoma available again.

Roberts had started all of Birmingham’s league games this season but missed Tuesday’s defeat at Wigan with a hamstring issue.

Maghoma also missed the midweek fixture but looks like he’s recovered for the meeting with Boro.

When asked about injuries, Clotet said: "I have had a close look at it, I took some precautionary calls in my selection during the week.

“We have had a tough 10 days with three games, Roberts and Maghoma are all good and ready for tomorrow."