Adam Clayton wants Middlesbrough to make home advantage count

Midfielder Adam Clayton has urged Middlesbrough to cash in on home comforts as they aim to bounce back in the Sky Bet Championship.

Boro host Bolton on Wednesday before Swansea visit the Riverside on Saturday.

They lost 1-0 at Norwich at the weekend to drop out of the top two – their first defeat of the season -and Clayton is keen to capitalise on home advantage.

"The next two games are at home and that can be a real platform for us," he told the Evening Gazette.

"If you can make your home ground a fortress then you are halfway there. That is one of the main things you like to do from the start of the season: win the home games.

"If you can win most of your own games then you've got a chance to do something.

"And we have got two home games to come now and that's two chances to put right the setback at Norwich."

Sheffield United are two points behind Boro and host winless Birmingham, who have drawn five of their seven games.

The Blades lost 1-0 at Bristol City on Saturday which ended a five-game unbeaten run.

Boss Chris Wilder told the Sheffield Star: "The games come up thick and fast and we're not in crisis talks. The players know they're playing well enough but they know we're here to win.

"That's my attitude and has to be the attitude of the players. We don't want to be one of those teams that stroll up and take the plaudits for being a decent footballing side, we want to play the right way, but win as well."

City rivals Sheffield Wednesday travel to Nottingham Forest looking to keep in touch with the early top six.

QPR face Millwall at Loftus Road with both teams lingering just above the bottom three.

Elsewhere, Reading will be looking to climb out of the relegation zone when they host Norwich.

Royals boss Paul Clement told the club's official site: "We're coming back home now, but we can't relax.

"We have struggled at home recently and if you can come away in this league and play to the level we have – on Saturday we scored three goals away from home and won – you certainly should be able to do it at home.

"But it's not a matter of home comforts this week. You've got to do the work, you've got to do the details right, you have got to graft."

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