Tees

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Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick was at a loss to explain how his side gave up a three-goal lead and drew 3-3 at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

Finn Azaz's double and a goal from Ben Doak had them three up after 30 minutes and seemingly cruising towards three points.

But three goals in 14 second-half minutes, which also included a red card for Boro defender Rav van den Berg, saw the Owls stage an incredible comeback.

It meant Carrick's team slipped out of the Championship's top six.

"There were so many good things in the first half to be in a position like we were in and be in a commanding position going into the second half," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"To let the game unravel and get away from us that quickly, it can't happen. It's pretty obvious to say that, but it can't happen.

"It went so quickly and we made some bad decisions, didn't react to it too well and then a couple of deflections and they score the goals, but it can't happen."

Middlesbrough are currently in the final Championship play-off spot in a tight battle for the top six at the midway point of the season.

They are level on points with seventh-placed West Bromwich Albion while just five points separate fifth-placed Blackburn Rovers and ninth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls travel to the Riverside having won two games in a row whereas Boro have won just once in their past four games.

• Middlesbrough have won three of their last five league matches against Sheffield Wednesday (D1 L1) and won 2-0 at the Riverside last season.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost their last two league visits to Middlesbrough since a 4-1 victory under Garry Monk in September 2019.

• This is the fourth league meeting between Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day – Boro won 1-0 in 1930 but the Owls have won the last two in 1999 and 2018.

• Middlesbrough have won nine of their last 12 league games on Boxing Day but did lose 1-0 away at Rotherham United last season.

• Sheffield Wednesday lost 2-0 to Coventry on Boxing Day last year but haven't lost on consecutive years since 2000 (2-0 vs. Bolton) and 2001 (1-0 vs. Birmingham).

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick believes he will see his side reap the benefits of rotating the starting line-up during the second half of the season.

The 43-year-old opted to select Tommy Conway ahead of Emmanuel Latte Lath for Boro's entertaining 3-3 draw with Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, one of three changes from the side that started the victory over Millwall seven days earlier.

"I think as a whole group the boys have played a lot of games between them and that has been a big plus for us moving through the season," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees ahead of his side's Boxing Day sell-out clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Latte Lath was a 75th-minute substitute at Home Park, scoring nine minutes after coming on to the pitch, and Carrick believes alternating his top attacking talent will improve his side's chances of a play-off surge in the new year.

"Tommy [Conway] scored a goal which was onside which was given offside, it was a good finish from Tommy, and Manu [Latte Lath] took his chance fantastically well and got us right back in the game so, yeah, pleased with both of them.

"I would like to think that we'll get the benefits further through the season - I think the boys individually are looking in a good place".