Middlesbrough are looking for yet another win under Michael Carrick after a sensational run of form under the former Manchester United man keeps them in third ahead of playing hosts to Queens Park Rangers at the Riverside Stadium.
Not many young managers have burst onto the season in the manner Carrick has. After moving into a caretaker role because of Ralf Rangnick's departure at United, Carrick won twice and drew once with the club. He has since moved to Boro and won 12 of his 17 games so far, lost only four and drawn the other - it leaves him with the highest win percentage of any manager in the league right now with a record of 70.6%.
Even better, they have now become one of only seven sides this Championship season to beat Sheffield United and the first team to beat them at Bramall Lane after Chuba Akpom scored before a brace from Cameron Archer. Boro even went 1-0 down after five minutes that day, but they are now behind Sheffield United in second by just seven points all of sudden after being just above the relegation zone when Carrick took over.
The club have won 16 games now and even if they lose here, they will remain in third because of Luton Town's four-point gap on them in fourth. On the other hand, sides like Sunderland and Luton have a game in hand and can cut this gap down very soon.
As for QPR, they have dropped down into 17th after a terrible run of form in 2023. They've let in 43 goals now, and only Reading have conceded more goals for those sitting outside of the bottom three. In midweek, the R's were smashed 3-0 at Loftus Road by Sunderland and were barely ever a threat in the game. Combine this with a loss to Millwall, Hull City, Fleetwood and Luton, alongside draws with Sheffield United, Reading, Swansea and Huddersfield, and QPR are now winless in their past 10 games.
In fact, the London side have not won a game since Christmas and they will likely fall to another defeat here against such an in-form side like Boro. Carrick's side themselves will surely be eyeing up second in the table now.