Middlesbrough's next opponents Charlton Athletic have made four changes to their lineup ahead of Saturday's Championship clash at the Riverside. Charlie Kelman will make his first start of the season as the Addicks look to end a nine-match winless run in the league.

Charlton manager Nathan Jones has brought Josh Edwards, Joe Rankin-Costello and Sonny Carey back into the starting eleven. They replace Danny McNamara, Ivan Mesík, Oliver Skipp and Miles Leaburn from the side that lost 3-1 to Norwich City last time out.

The visitors' lineup is expected to feature Arthur Okonkwo in goal behind a defence of Kayne Ramsay, Lloyd Jones, Billy Koumetio and Josh Edwards. Rankin-Costello could partner Conor Coventry in midfield, with Karlan Grant, Sonny Carey and Tyreece Campbell supporting lone striker Charlie Kelman. Their bench includes Will Mannion, Tyler Bindon, Amari’i Bell, Ivan Mesík, Alan Mwamba, Harvey Knibbs, Millenic Alli, Miles Leaburn and Micah Mbick.

Match Context

Their last outing was a 3-1 home defeat to Norwich, a result that ended the Canaries' own six-match losing streak. Middlesbrough, by contrast, are in a commanding position at the summit of the league.

Michael Carrick's side are top of the Championship with 25 points from 12 games, holding a two-point lead over Swansea City. Their recent form reads WDWWD, meaning they are unbeaten in their last five matches. That run was capped by a dominant 5-1 away victory over Bolton Wanderers last Thursday, a result that showed their attacking power. Will Lankshear, the division's top scorer with 11 goals, netted twice in that win. The team's overall record shows seven wins, four draws and one loss from their twelve matches, with 27 goals scored and 17 conceded. Their recent results include a 2-2 draw with Cardiff on Saturday 17 October and a 3-2 win at Stoke City on Tuesday 13 October, following a 1-0 victory over Wolves and a 2-2 draw at Birmingham.

Boro will be confident of extending their lead at the top when they host Charlton this Saturday, 31 October. The fixture is scheduled for a 12:30pm BST kick-off at the Riverside Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.

More detail at Charlton Athletic Football Club