Follow live coverage as Middlesbrough face Stoke City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will newly-promoted Birmingham City and Wrexham, with a host of hopefuls eyeing up the £200m jackpot that comes with promotion to the top flight. At the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City hope to stay up amid crises.
Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Middlesbrough FC 0 - 0 Stoke City FC
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:55Attempt saved. Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:54Attempt saved. Sorba Thomas (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tomás Rigo.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:54Attempt missed. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Róbert Bozeník.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:54Attempt missed. Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:53Foul by Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:53Attempt saved. Sorba Thomas (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner by Sol Brynn (Middlesbrough). Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:50Second Half begins Middlesbrough 0, Stoke City 0.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:50Substitution, Stoke City. Tomás Rigo replaces Ben Pearson.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:34First Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Stoke City 0.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:32Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:32Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:32Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Aidan Morris.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:32Attempt blocked. Bosun Lawal (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sorba Thomas.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:32Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:25Attempt missed. Sverre Nypan (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Tommy Conway.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:23Attempt missed. Sverre Nypan (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:18Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:17Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) has gone down, but the referee deems it simulation.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:17Foul by Matt Targett (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:15Attempt blocked. Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:15Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Sam Silvera.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:14Foul by Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:14Attempt blocked. Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aidan Morris.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:11Foul by David Strelec (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:02Attempt saved. Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Alan Browne.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:02Sam Silvera (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:02Attempt saved. David Strelec (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
20:00Sam Silvera (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:59Lamine Cissé (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:57Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:55Attempt missed. David Strelec (Middlesbrough) with an attempt from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Matt Targett with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:53Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Viktor Johansson.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:53Attempt saved. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Aidan Morris.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:52Substitution, Middlesbrough. Sam Silvera replaces George Edmundson because of an injury.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:52Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:50Delay in match because of an injury George Edmundson (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:49Attempt blocked. Bosun Lawal (Stoke City) header from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sorba Thomas with a cross.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:48Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Matt Targett.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:46First Half begins.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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