It Will Be Difficult - Cotterill

Boro reached the Sky Bet Championship play-offs last season, suffering defeat in the Wembley final against Norwich City. 

The North East club have made some expensive purchases in the summer, including Stewart Downing, Christian Stuani and David Nugent, to strengthen their promotion bid. 

Cotterill is aware of the assets Aitor Karanka’s squad has at his disposal but adds every team in the league will pose a threat. 

He told Bristol City Player HD: “I think Middlesbrough are a good team and we know it’ll be an extremely difficult game. 

“They’re very well organised and drilled. It’ll be a difficult game up there, but every game is and that’s what we want.” 

The manager added: “They had a good result away from home the other night at Derby and they’ll be well up there, but we’ll look to give them a good game.” 

Cotterill was full of praise for his team after they earned a draw in the dying embers of their match against Leeds United on Wednesday night. 

The visitors set up with two defensive banks of four for the majority of the match, but City’s manager doesn’t think they came with that intention. 

He said: “I think they came with a view to try and press and found they couldn’t. 

“I thought we murdered them with our football between the lines and all of a sudden they started sitting off. 

“For five minutes they tried but got no joy out of it whatsoever so that’s okay with me.” 

Luke Freeman is due to serve the second game of his three-match ban.