Express & Star

Middlesbrough v West Brom - Match preview

It’s a busy Christmas period as ever in the Championship but the festive mood in the Albion camp will depend on fortunes in the North East tomorrow.

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West Bromwich Albion's Brandon Thomas-Asante

Just a couple of weeks after a frustrating trip up the M1 to Sunderland, Carlos Corberan’s men are in Teesside to tackle Middlesbrough, who are enjoying some festive cheer despite a modest league position.

Michael Carrick’s men booked their place in the final four of the Carabao Cup this week, a competition they last won two decades ago while a top-flight outfit, and have been drawn against Chelsea in the semi-final.

Howwer, in the league, Boro are down in 13th – but only six points below the fifth-placed Baggies.

Albion face a testing 10 days with home clashes against Norwich, slowly improving under David Wagner, and Leeds, who won’t have given up on bridging the current 10-point gap to Ipswich in second.