Middlesbrough FC boss Chris Wilder on stopping Rotherham United recording a 'brilliant' start to the season

MIDDLESBROUGH manager Chris Wilder has paid credit to weekend opponents and former club Rotherham United - and admits he is anxious to prevent a fine opening to 2022-23 for the Millers into a 'brilliant' one.

Both sides head into the game at the Riverside Stadium in contrasting form. Rotherham find themselves in the top ten after being written off by many as relegation fodder before a ball was kicked.

Boro, meanwhile, are in lowly position having been fancied by a number of observers to be promotion candidates at the start of the campaign.

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Matters came to a head for Boro in Tuesday's 3-2 home loss to Cardiff, with Wilder's side plumbing the depths in a first half, which saw them embarrassingly trail 3-0.

Chris Wilder. Picture: Getty ImagesChris Wilder. Picture: Getty Images
Chris Wilder. Picture: Getty Images

Wilder said: "I know a lot about the Millers and the staff really well. They deserve an enormous amount of credit with what they are doing."It is not the most easiest of clubs to manage and different expectations. There were huge expectations to get out of League One and obviously to stay in the Championship.

"But listen, they are doing more than staying in the Championship at the moment, they are going fantastically well.

"Paul (Warne) and his staff have done a brilliant job over the years. We know the staff and players from that part of the world and know what their strengths are and they have got a lot of strengths.

"They will want to finish before the international break on a high and for them to get a result at our place will be seen as a brilliant start to life back in the Championship.”