- Middlesbrough host Leicester City in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend
- Ricardo Pereira previews the 3pm GMT kick-off at Riverside Stadium on Saturday
- The Foxes are aiming to bounce back following defeat to Leeds United last week
- City currently sit top of the table; Boro are 12th ahead of the latest round of fixtures
The lack of a midweek fixture, a rarity in the schedule, has allowed for a period of reflection and analysis following City’s 1-0 reverse at home Leeds United last time out, which ended a run of nine consecutive league wins.
Remaining at the Sky Bet Championship summit, Pereira told LCFC.com earlier this week: “We’re disappointed with the result, but I think in terms of the game plan, doing our best, trying and fighting – we did it all. At the end, it’s not like we need to change a lot of things. That’s not the case.
“It’s just a game that we weren’t clinical in. It happens sometimes. This week we have more time to watch what we did well and not so well and work more closely. It’s a good thing because normally you recover and then play.”
Leicester’s record-breaking start to the season - becoming only the second team in second-tier history to win 13 out of the first 14 matches - has transformed the atmosphere around the Club, with just a second defeat this term unlikely to knock Enzo Maresca’s side off track, the Portuguese full-back assured.
“We stay focused, knowing where we want to go,” he explained. “To get back to winning, which is what we want, we need to keep trying and keep working together. The results count a lot in the mood of the Club.
“Of course, when you win, things are better and people are happier. In that I think I talk about everyone. That’s what we want for us, for the Club and for our fans, so it’s good.”
Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough have been going well of late, placed inside the top half, and Saturday’s trip to Riverside Stadium presents the final opportunity to put points on the board ahead of the final international break in 2023. From there on in, the festive period brings a host of fixtures to contend with.
The 30-year-old added: “Being away from home, especially, I think it’s going to be a difficult challenge for us, as all games were. We have to go there, try to play our game and perform in the game to win, that’s most important.
“We’re looking forward to the break to rest and prepare for that busy period. As we know, it always is [busy]. But let’s go game by game. We have time to think about loads of games that we will have.”