Follow live coverage as Middlesbrough face Derby County 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 Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United 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 Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Middlesbrough FC 1 - 0 Derby County FC
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Match ends, Middlesbrough 1, Derby County 0.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 1, Derby County 0.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Foul by Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Sondre Langås.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Attempt blocked. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:55Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) hits the right post with a left footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Kelechi Iheanacho following a fast break.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:54Craig Forsyth (Derby County) is shown the yellow card.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:54Foul by Craig Forsyth (Derby County).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:53Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:52Corner, Derby County. Conceded by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:50Foul by Samuel Iling-Junior (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:50Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Foul by Samuel Iling-Junior (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Offside, Middlesbrough. Delano Burgzorg is caught offside.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Substitution, Middlesbrough. Samuel Iling-Junior replaces Tommy Conway.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Substitution, Middlesbrough. Delano Burgzorg replaces Finn Azaz.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Substitution, Derby County. Kemar Roofe replaces Kayden Jackson.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:45Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:39Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:39Goal! Middlesbrough 1, Derby County 0. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:38Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tommy Conway.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:35Attempt missed. Liam Thompson (Derby County) right footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:35Substitution, Derby County. Kenzo Goudmijn replaces Marcus Harness.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:35Substitution, Derby County. Ben Osborn replaces Harrison Armstrong.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:35Substitution, Derby County. Lars-Jørgen Salvesen replaces Jerry Yates.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:32Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Harrison Armstrong.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:31Attempt missed. Ebou Adams (Derby County) right footed shot from the centre of the box following a set piece situation.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:30Substitution, Middlesbrough. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Marcus Forss.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:29Foul by Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:29Attempt saved. Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Finn Azaz with a cross.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:27Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ebou Adams.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:25Foul by Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:26Attempt saved. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:26Attempt blocked. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:23Substitution, Derby County. Liam Thompson replaces Tom Barkhuizen.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:20Substitution, Middlesbrough. Ryan Giles replaces Luke Ayling because of an injury.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:20Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:20Delay in match because of an injury Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:17Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:17Delay in match because of an injury Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:13Foul by Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:11Sondre Langås (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:13Foul by Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:08Attempt missed. Ebou Adams (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:07Attempt saved. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:06Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:06Corner, Derby County. Conceded by Dael Fry.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
16:03Second Half begins Middlesbrough 0, Derby County 0.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:48First Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Derby County 0.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:48Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) hits the left post with a left footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:48Attempt blocked. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dael Fry.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:47Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:45Attempt missed. Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Finn Azaz with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:43Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Craig Forsyth.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:45Attempt blocked. Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aidan Morris.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:41Attempt missed. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:33Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Craig Forsyth.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:30Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ryan Nyambe.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:28Neto Borges (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:28Attempt blocked. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:25Neto Borges (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:23Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:20Callum Elder (Derby County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:21Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:20Tom Barkhuizen (Derby County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:20Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:19Attempt missed. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Neto Borges.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:19Attempt blocked. Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:19Attempt saved. Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:12Foul by Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:12Attempt missed. Jerry Yates (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Barkhuizen.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:10Attempt saved. Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:08Foul by Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:04Corner, Derby County. Conceded by Mark Travers.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:06Attempt saved. Ebou Adams (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:01Foul by Jerry Yates (Derby County).
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:03Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
15:01First Half begins.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Middlesbrough vs Derby County
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