Kim Hellberg won’t shirk big Middlesbrough decisions after Bolton team selection hint

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg insisted he will not shy away from making big decisions regarding squad rotation to prevent player burnout. Hellberg defended his choice to rest Will Lankshear and Sebastian Berhalter during Saturday's Championship draw against Cardiff City, despite needing to introduce both at halftime to recover from a two-goal deficit. He hinted further rotation is likely for Friday's fixture against Bolton.

Hellberg referenced past injuries suffered by Hayden Hackney and Riley McGree as reasons to manage workloads carefully through data, discussions, and training assessments. Meanwhile, striker Will Lankshear is expected to return to the starting lineup on Friday, while David Strelec could return to training this week.