Blackburn Rovers visit the Riverside on Saturday as Boro kick off their Emirates FA Cup campaign.
Ahead of the clash with Rovers, here is the lowdown on the opposition...
The background
Blackburn finished 19th in the Sky Bet Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, their lowest placing since being promoted back to the second tier in 2018.
After a season of mixed results, Rovers picked up 53 points, which was enough to secure themselves a seventh consecutive season at this level.
In the FA Cup, Blackburn reached the fifth round last season before being narrowly beaten by Newcastle United on penalties.
At this stage last year, they won in comfortable style with a 5-2 win against Cambridge United.
The boss
John Eustace has been at the helm since February 2024. After taking over with 18 games left of last season, Eustace maintained Blackburn’s status in the Championship.
His first stint in management came at Kidderminster Harriers shortly after retiring from playing.
Eustace then had spells as assistant manager at Queens Park Rangers and the Republic of Ireland national team.
In July 2022, he took up the role of head coach at Birmingham City, his first managerial role in the Football League. In his first season at the club, Eustace guided Birmingham to their highest points haul since 2016.
Key players
Todd Cantwell is an important figure in this Rovers side. The attacking midfielder has picked up two assists since joining from Rangers in the summer.
Experienced defender Danny Batth has been another key player this season, having played 22 times so far. The central defender clinched a late equaliser with his goal against Leeds United on New Year’s Day.
Yuki Ohashi has impressed since signing for the club in the summer. The frontman is Blackburn's joint top scorer with four.
Foot in both camps
Tony Mowbray has had spells in the dugout for both clubs. After making over 300 appearances for Boro during his playing career, Mowbray also spent three years as manager. In 2017 he took over at Blackburn, where he spent five years.
Blackburn’s current number one, Aynsley Pears, has also represented both clubs. Pears came through the ranks at Boro and made 25 senior appearances for the club before joining Rovers in 2020.
Darragh Lenihan has also played for Boro and Blackburn. Lenihan joined Rovers in 2012 and made his senior debut against Millwall three years later. After leaving Blackburn in 2022, Lenihan made the switch to Teesside, where he has made 53 appearances so far for the club.