Former Middlesbrough academy graduate Josh Coburn will miss a return to the Riverside after being named among a long list of Millwall injury absentees for Tuesday's Championship clash. The Lions are without nine first-team players for the trip north, handing Boro a potential advantage as they aim to go top of the table.
Kim Hellberg's side sit fourth in the Championship with 13 points from six games, just one point behind leaders West Ham. They head into the match on the back of a dramatic 4-3 win over Norwich City last Friday, a result that extended their recent form to three wins from their last five league outings.
Millwall's lengthy absentee list
Coburn, who scored twice against Boro for Millwall over the Easter weekend, is sidelined alongside eight teammates. The Lions' injury list includes Casper De Norre, Tristan Crama, Alfie Doughty, Mathis Servais, Ryan Leonard, Mihailo Ivanovic, and goalkeeper Lukas Jensen. The only positive news for head coach Alex Neil is the expected returns of Kyrell Lisbie and Luke Cundle from their own fitness issues.
Millwall's form has dipped, with just one win in their last four matches, including a defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Defender Zak Sturge acknowledged the low mood in the camp, telling the club's official website, "We’re low at the moment, and we’re thinking about it a lot."
Hellberg wary of wounded Lions
Despite the visitors' problems, Boro boss Kim Hellberg is taking nothing for granted. He recalled Millwall's aggressive performance on their last visit to Teesside. "Millwall when they were here last time, they were in a very good form, and they were very strong, and were very aggressive," Hellberg said.
Middlesbrough will be looking to build on their thrilling victory over Norwich, where Sebastian Berhalter scored twice in a seven-goal thriller. The win showed the team's attacking threat, having now scored 12 goals in the league this season. Check the latest player stats for more details on the squad's contributions.
The match kicks off at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Boro knowing a third consecutive league win could see them leapfrog West Ham into first place.
