Middlesbrough vs Swansea - Pulis may shuffle Middlesbrough pack again for Swansea clash

Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by PA

Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis will assess his troops before naming a side to face Swansea after a gruelling week in the Sky Bet Championship.

Pulis freshened things up in the wake of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Norwich, resting Dael Fry and Britt Assombalonga for the first time in the league this season, as well as Mohamed Besic, for Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over Bolton.

George Saville, Martin Braithwaite and Jordan Hugill got the nod against Wanderers, but with Darren Randolph, Ryan Shotton, Aden Flint, George Friend, Adam Clayton, Jonny Howson and Stewart Downing having started all Boro’s Championship fixtures to date, the manager could make further changes.

Rudy Gestede played 66 minutes for the Under-23s in their 3-2 win at West Brom earlier in the week, but the striker remains short of full match fitness.

Swansea boss Graham Potter has been handed a double boost ahead of the trip to Teesside.

Midfielders Tom Carroll and Jay Fulton missed Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke because of hip and head injuries respectively, but have been passed fit for the game at the Riverside Stadium.

However, Leroy Fer (groin) and Bersant Celina (ankle ligaments) are likely to miss out once again, while Jefferson Montero and Wilfried Bony are still on the casualty list.

Striker Courtney Baker-Richardson will sit out as he completes a three-match ban following his sending-off at Millwall on September 1.