Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg says his players delivered an "unbelievable performance" in their 4-0 hammering of Preston North End.

Boro had got home in the early hours of Thursday morning from the win at Stoke City and just over 48 hours later, they shrugged off a lunchtime start to dismantle 10-man North End.

The fourth successive league win halved the gap on leaders Coventry City to three points, while Ipswich Town's defeat at Sheffield United means Boro now have a five-point cushion over the Tractor Boys, who sit third.

"What a performance from the lads, what energy," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees.

"Going away to play Stoke on a Wednesday night, travelling eight hours back and forth on the bus, having the West Bromwich game before, 16, 17 hours on the bus back and forth, then one day less of rest playing this game on Saturday lunchtime, which is the shortest amount of rest you can get in between games.

"Then to put in that type of energetic performance, that is unbelievable from the players."

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg says several players could return from injury for Saturday's Championship game against Preston North End (12:30 GMT).

Boro have had to cope with a significant injury list - Alfie Jones, Darragh Lenihan, George Edmundson, Callum Brittain, Alex Bangura, Riley McGree, David Strelec and Kaly Sene have all been absent in recent weeks and months.

"I don't know if someone is ready to start but there will be some players back," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees.

"If they are not back this week, they will be back the next week so it is looking much better for us."

The Teesside club have won their past three league games to sit two points above third-placed Ipswich Town and now face their third game in just over a week.

However, the side's most recent performances have shown the Swede that a congested schedule should not affect how his side perform.

"It cannot be an excuse for us to not bring the best of [our] energy, it cannot be an excuse for someone to not be ready to play," Hellberg added.

"We know that is how it is and we need to bring all the energy in the world to perform. That demands even more from us in that amount of time and how I balance the squad is key."

Listen to the full interview and more Middlesbrough content on BBC Sounds.

Middlesbrough have the chance to cut Coventry's lead to three points with a win over Preston on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Boro are looking to record four successive league wins for the second time this season.

Preston's promotion challenge is wobbling on the back of successive home defeats by Derby and Hull City in which they have failed to score but they did win their last away game, 2-0 at Bristol City.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten across their past three home league games against Preston North End (W2 D1), netting nine goals in those matches. Since the start of 2022-23, it is the most goals they've scored on home soil against any side in the Championship.

• Preston North End are unbeaten across their past four league games against Middlesbrough (W2 D2), while they last enjoyed a longer unbeaten run in this fixture between December 1951 and December 1953 (five games).

• Following a 4-0 win against Southampton earlier this month, Middlesbrough are looking to record a clean sheet in consecutive home league games for the first time since their first two at the Riverside this season.

• Preston have lost their past two league games, though both have come at home. They last lost more consecutively in April last season (4).

• Morgan Whittaker has scored six goals in 12 home league appearances for Middlesbrough this season. That is at least three times as many as any of his team-mates at the Riverside (two for David Strelec, Hayden Hackney, Tommy Conway and Dael Fry).

Middlesbrough have reignited their interest in Brighton winger Jeremy Sarmiento and are attempting to hijack Birmingham City's deal for the 23-year-old after Blues had already agreed a permanent transfer for the Ecuador international. (Sky Sports), external

Want to read more EFL transfer news and rumours? Check out Thursday's gossip column in full here.

Middlesbrough midfielder Alan Browne said he is "constantly learning" since being asked to play at right-back in his past three appearances by head coach Kim Hellberg.

The Republic of Ireland international scored his second Boro goal as they regained second place in the Championship with a 2-1 win at Stoke City on Wednesday evening.

"Obviously, I want to get back in the middle. That's where I think I'm best and where I want to play, but I'm happy to do a job for the team wherever that may be, so I've got to enjoy it and learn as much as I can in that position," the 30-year-old told BBC Radio Tees.

"It's great playing under this manager because although you're playing full-back you find yourself in really good areas where you might also find yourself as a midfielder, so I'm constantly learning and hopefully improving every week."

Middlesbrough had to come from a goal down in the Potteries with Browne equalising just after the interval before Tommy Conway scored the winner.

"It was brilliant, quite tiring towards the end, but we did what we had to - showed great character in coming from a goal down away from home," Browne said.

"We stayed calm at difficult times, stuck together, played our own football, and thankfully in the end prevailed."

Middlesbrough host sixth-placed Preston North End on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

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Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg praised his side's second-half showing as they followed up a win at West Brom last Friday with three points at Stoke.

Alan Browne scored one and made the winner for Tommy Conway as Boro went back into the top two in the Championship.

Hellberg told BBC Tees: "It was a terrible first 25 minutes, the worst kind of play, not being brave in your position - but in the second half we had a different attitude and turned the game around.

"I felt we were not sharp, but that's life sometimes. We woke them up at half-time and it was a different story, we were strong.

"We have to focus on ourselves. This period of the season is tough but we have six points from two away games and have scored five goals."

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All English Football League games across a four-day period in February will begin one minute late to raise awareness for the Every Minute Matters campaign.

The initiative will be in place for 36 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two between 5 and 9 February.

EFL sponsor Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have been working together since May 2024 to highlight the importance of speed when it comes to performing live-saving CPR.

Later kick-off times will serve as "a stark reminder that every minute matters", the EFL said.

Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer collapsed while playing for Luton Town eight minutes into the Championship play-off final against Coventry in May 2023.

Lockyer then suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch seven months later during a Premier League game at Bournemouth.

"What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Lockyer, who is now a BHF ambassador.

"Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and most of them never make it home.

"I'm here today because of the transformative power of CPR as every minute matters when it comes to saving a life.

"This February, we want everyone to get behind this life-saving initiative, learn the skills and be ready to step in because your actions could give someone else the chance I was given."

Throughout February, the Every Minute Matters campaign will call on fans to learn CPR using the BHF's online RevivR, external tool.

"Each minute without CPR reduces a person's chance of survival, so we're urging fans to learn the skills now, before you ever need them," said Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF.

EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch added: "The one minute kick-off adjustment is a simple, powerful reminder that swift CPR can be the difference between life and death."

Image source, BBC Sport

Middlesbrough have turned to other attacking targets after failing to agree a deal with Brighton for 23-year-old Ecuador international Jeremy Sarmiento. (Northern Echo - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Check out Tuesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Opta

Stoke City and Middlesbrough will seek to answer back to their promotion rivals when they play the final match of the round on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).

Depending how Coventry and Ipswich fare the previous night, Boro could be as many as nine points off the top and down to third by the time they kick-off at the Bet365, seeking a third straight win after scoring seven across their past two victories.

The Potters have kept five clean sheets in their past six games but are seeking a first win in four at home, but a defeat could see them drop out of the top-10, depending on results elsewhere.

• Stoke have only enjoyed three wins in their past 15 league meetings with Middlesbrough (D5 L7), winning none of their last three against Boro (D1 L2).

• After their 3-1 win last season, Middlesbrough could win on back-to-back league visits to Stoke for only the second time in their history, previously doing so in March 1956.

• Stoke have won each of their past five home league matches played on a Wednesday, their best winning streak on this day of the week since December 1996 (6).

• Middlesbrough have only lost two of their past 13 away league matches on a Wednesday (W8 D3), defeats at Preston in February 2024 (1-2) and Sheffield United in February 2025 (1-3).

• Mark Robins has won six of his nine previous Championship home games against Middlesbrough as a manager (D1 L2), although did lose his only one as Stoke boss last season (1-3).

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Manchester United are eyeing a £30m deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, who could be reunited with former Boro boss Michael Carrick, while Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are reportedly also interested. (Manchester Evening News), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

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Kim Hellberg says "mentality" was the reason behind their dramatic win at West Bromwich Albion.

Boro looked to have squandered two points as Albion fought back from two down to draw level.

But Hellberg's side regained their composure, which allowed a fine move to set up Delano Burgzorg to score a 90th minute winner, a result which kept the Teessiders second in the league.

"The mentality of the players is the key thing here after the crowd goes unbelievably crazy," said the Swede.

"The game was almost done. We were controlling things and they scored a goal from almost nothing.

"They got a lot of energy and have some very good players and then [for us] to come back from that and score a winner in that way [was great].

"It was not a long ball, it was not lucky, it was a top quality goal in the 90th minute and that says everything about this group of lads."

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Middlesbrough full-back Lukas Engel has signed for Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake in a permanent deal.

The Dane spent most of 2025 in the US, making 39 appearances in a loan spell with FC Cincinnati.

Engel joined Boro in the summer of 2023 and played 53 games for the club in all competitions, scoring twice.

His last appearance was in a 2-0 home Championship win over West Bromwich Albion in January 2025.

Neither club have disclosed whether a fee was paid for the move.

Kim Hellberg says Middlesbrough's new arrivals Leo Castledine and Fin Munroe could feature at West Brom on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

Attacking midfielder Castledine arrived from Chelsea on 9 January after a stellar loan spell with League One Huddersfield while left-back Munroe, also 20, joined from Aston Villa on Thursday after impressing on loan at League Two Swindon.

Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees: "They are two young players that want to develop that suits the environment we have, I am happy with them.

"They are, I think, ready to play in the first team, we'll see if it comes to that [on Friday]. Both will travel, but we'll see.

"Leo you can see he is good playing around the box, scoring goals in different ways, good moving the ball, has power. He's a player who has done very good at Huddersfield and is now ready to take the next step.

"He suits us in more of a high central position, but we'll learn.

"Fin is a left-back, good up and down, good left foot, good physics."

Hellberg would not be drawn on reports linking Boro with Brighton midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento, adding: "We'll see what happens. It's more about working with what I have here."

The Swede said he had a "good conversation" with winger Sontje Hansen who was thought to be unhappy with his role, adding: "I don't think he meant what some people thought [on social media]. I don't make a big thing of that.

"He's been training good. We have had a good conversation. It's more about his taking his chances when he gets them."

Hellberg admitted it was tricky to know what to expect at The Hawthorns on Friday, with Eric Ramsay taking charge of his first game.

"It's difficult to understand what they are going to do," he said. "West Brom have been playing a certain way, with a certain structure for a long time. Quite offensive, good on the ball, they have performed quite well, even if they have not got the results.

"Minnesota played with a back five [under Ramsay] but it's difficult to know how much he will do or will want to change.

"It's a tricky situation. We prepare for different things and have to be aware of different set-ups but that has been almost a theme since I have been here. Teams try to find different structures to stop our offensive play."

Hellberg also revealed forwards Kaly Sene and David Strelec could return from injury lay-offs within 10 days, adding: "It's just a matter of time."