Overview
- The match takes place at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday 29 August with a 12:30pm BST kick-off and live coverage on Sky Sports and ITV1/ITVX.
- Bookmakers list Middlesbrough as favourites with bet365 pricing Boro ahead of a draw and West Brom, reflecting Boro's strong home form.
- West Brom arrive unbeaten in the Championship after opening wins over Norwich and Burnley while Middlesbrough have been strong at home but lost 2-1 at Blackburn in their most recent league outing.
- Will Lankshear has been prolific for Middlesbrough this season and Jimmy-Jay Morgan has scored early for West Brom, and forward Aune Heggebo is available after serving a two-match ban.
- Local previews highlight Kim Hellberg's plan to add balance to Middlesbrough's setup with small selection tweaks expected and the Baggies likely to test Boro on the break given their counter-attacking form.