Follow live coverage as Middlesbrough face Watford 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 0 - 1 Watford FC
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:58Match ends, Middlesbrough 0, Watford 1.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:56Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Watford 1.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:56Corner, Watford. Conceded by Rav van den Berg.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:50Substitution, Watford. Mattie Pollock replaces Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:48Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:48Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:47Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:46Attempt saved. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:42Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:42Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:42Delay in match because of an injury Imrân Louza (Watford).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Foul by Marcus Forss (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Foul by Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Egil Selvik (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Offside, Middlesbrough. Tommy Conway is caught offside.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Substitution, Watford. Jeremy Ngakia replaces Ryan Andrews.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Substitution, Middlesbrough. Marcus Forss replaces Neto Borges.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Attempt missed. George Edmundson (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Samuel Iling-Junior with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:41Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:39Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) hits the left post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Samuel Iling-Junior with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:38Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Egil Selvik.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:37Attempt saved. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Anfernee Dijksteel.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:35Attempt blocked. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Samuel Iling-Junior with a cross.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:33Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:31Attempt saved. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:25Substitution, Middlesbrough. Samuel Iling-Junior replaces Morgan Whittaker.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:25Foul by Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:23Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:23Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:23Foul by Rocco Vata (Watford).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:23Substitution, Watford. Rocco Vata replaces Mamadou Doumbia.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:21Attempt missed. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:17Substitution, Middlesbrough. Anfernee Dijksteel replaces Luke Ayling.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:17Substitution, Middlesbrough. Finn Azaz replaces Kelechi Iheanacho.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:15Attempt missed. Yasser Larouci (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:17Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Imrân Louza.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:14Corner, Watford. Conceded by Mark Travers.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:15Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mamadou Doumbia.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:13Attempt saved. Neto Borges (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:13Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:12Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Kévin Keben.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:10Attempt blocked. Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:12Attempt missed. Mamadou Doumbia (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:07Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:06Attempt missed. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:07Attempt blocked. Ryan Andrews (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:05Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:05Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:02Second Half begins Middlesbrough 0, Watford 1.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
16:02Substitution, Middlesbrough. Delano Burgzorg replaces Daniel Barlaser.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:48First Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Watford 1.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:47Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:47Foul by Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:47Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:46Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:45Foul by Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:45Goal! Middlesbrough 0, Watford 1. Moussa Sissoko (Watford) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Imrân Louza with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:44Corner, Watford. Conceded by George Edmundson.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:42Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:38Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:38Attempt blocked. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:32Corner, Watford. Conceded by Mark Travers.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:32Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:31Attempt missed. Mamadou Doumbia (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:30Attempt saved. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel Barlaser.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:30Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by James Abankwah.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:30Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:27Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:23Attempt missed. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:21Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:22Foul by Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:19Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:20Hand ball by Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:16Corner, Watford. Conceded by George Edmundson.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:16Attempt saved. Imrân Louza (Watford) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Ryan Andrews with a cross.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:14Attempt blocked. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:11Attempt saved. Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:09Attempt blocked. Morgan Whittaker (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:05Neto Borges (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
15:01First Half begins.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Middlesbrough vs Watford
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