VIDEO: Sheffield Wednesday boss Carvalhal pledges Boro battle

Buoyed after back-to-back Hillsborough victories, Wednesday take on Boro at the Riverside, kick-off 5:15pm, knowing three points could move them into the Championship’s play-off zone.

But Carvalhal has hit out at the competition organisers again, claiming it is “not fair” the Owls are having to play twice in three days.

To compound the Portuguese chief’s frustration, Middlesbrough’s trip to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, meaning Aitor Karanka’s side have had nine days to prepare for this festive fixture.

“We will fight and do our best but there is a big gap in the conditions that we will play,” Carvalhal told The Star. “Middlesbrough are massive favourites but that doesn’t mean we won’t go there to try and win the game.

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“We are not happy with the situation. Nobody recovers in two days. The minimum players need to recover between games is three days.

“All players will play in the red zone. That means they can play but probably after one or two weeks their collective performance will start decreasing and the injuries will come.

“This is not good for the competition in my opinion. It is not fair and it is not correct. If that team can’t play for the weather then put our game one day after, and the same with Blackburn and who they play.

“Everybody must play in the same conditions.”

Boro striker David Nugent is ruled out of the televised showdown. Following Boro’s weekend postponement, Nugent will now complete his three-match ban against the Owls.