Neil Warnock warns Middlesbrough what to expect from Sheffield Wednesday after Tony Pulis' sacking

Boro travel to Hillsborough for a Championship clash which will have an impact at both ends of the table.

With Wednesday battling against relegation, chairman Dejphon Chansiri sensationally sacked Pulis on Monday night, less than 24 hours before the visit of Warnock’s men.

It deprived Pulis of the chance to come up against Middlesbrough for the first time since he left the club in the summer of 2019, with coach Neil Thompson in caretaker charge.

Sheffield-born Blades fan Warnock is relishing taking on his old rivals – and he has warned his players that they must cope with the Owls’ physical threat if they are to avoid being beaten like they were against Stocke City and Preston North End.

Warnock said: “Stoke outmuscled us and Preston was bitterly disappointing. These two teams we’re coming up against now are both physically strong, and these games will be a big test away from home.

“It’ll be difficult to break Sheffield Wednesday down so we’re going to have to defend well and try and create as much as we can. We’ve got to move the ball quickly and create opportunities and it’s worked in the last few games.

“This league is full of all sorts and you have be able to cope with that.

"We’ll be put to the test defending set pieces at Wednesday but I’ve been really pleased with how we’ve been doing on that front and we’re in a happier place now than where we were defending them at the start of the season.”