Burnley
Blackburn Rovers
Coventry City
Derby County
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
QPR
After a relatively underwhelming summer so far, Middlesbrough got off to the perfect start in 2025/26 with a 1-0 win over Swansea City at home.
Dael Fry headed in superbly from an excellent Morgan Whittaker corner in the 51st minute to hand Rob Edwards a win in his first game in charge of the Teessiders.
Boro looked much more comfortable in defence after that area of the pitch became a real issue at the back end of last season, with Alfie Jones showing off his talents on his debut, while Sammy Silvera impressed out wide.
However, Edwards will be extremely pleased to have seen his Middlesbrough side adapt to his style, with a greater focus on getting the simple parts of the game right, yet there is one thing that will catch the eye of supporters.
- READ MORE – John Eustace must make two crucial transfer decisions at Derby County after disappointing Stoke City loss
Rob Edwards has not appointed a club captain at Middlesbrough
Fry’s header marked the start of a new era at the Riverside, and perhaps he might lead the team on the pitch as he captained the side, 10 years to the day since his debut.
Yet, Edwards revealed after the game that he has not appointed a club captain at Middlesbrough this season. Explaining his decision, he said (via: The Northern Echo): “I’ve made it clear, the armband could get shared around.
“I want to promote leadership within the group. I think we’ve got a number of players who can wear it, and today was Dael’s day. It’s not a club captain thing though. I know that’s a little bit different, but for me, we’ve got a lot of leaders in the group and I want to try and promote more, so I think I’ll continue to share it around.”
- READ MORE – Why Jovon Makama’s record transfer to Norwich City is a ‘clear sign of progression’ for Lincoln City
Dael Fry will hope that he can lead Boro for the majority of 2025/26
Although there will not be a club captain for this season, Fry’s leadership was clear to see on Saturday and it seems likely that he will be given the armband throughout the campaign.
At 27, he is vastly experienced and has already made 263 appearances for Middlesbrough in his career. However, his contract does expire at the end of 2025/26.
Fry will be crucial for Edwards, but more performances like the one he had against Swansea will only help the ex-Luton Town manager settle in at his new club, especially with Rav van den Berg’s future up for debate.
Nevertheless, there is still plenty of football to be played this season and consistency will be the key for Middlesbrough in their bid for a top six finish.