Follow live coverage as Middlesbrough face Hull City 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 Hull City AFC
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
13:03Attempt missed. Abdülkadir Ömür (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
13:01Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Anfernee Dijksteel.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
13:01Foul by Lewie Coyle (Hull City).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:56Offside, Middlesbrough. Tommy Conway is caught offside.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:55Goal! Middlesbrough 1, Hull City 0. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:54Attempt missed. Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:54Attempt blocked. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hayden Hackney.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:53Foul by João Pedro (Hull City).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:54Attempt blocked. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Doak.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:53Foul by Xavier Simons (Hull City).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:52Foul by Abu Kamara (Hull City).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:49Attempt missed. João Pedro (Hull City) header from the centre of the box.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:48Attempt missed. George Edmundson (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Daniel Barlaser with a cross following a corner.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:47Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Cody Drameh.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:45Offside, Middlesbrough. Ben Doak is caught offside.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:44Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Alfie Jones.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:42Foul by João Pedro (Hull City).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:39Offside, Middlesbrough. Ben Doak is caught offside.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:39Attempt blocked. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Doak.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:36Foul by Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:35Foul by Neto Borges (Middlesbrough).
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:31First Half begins.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
12:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Middlesbrough vs Hull City
10:30Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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