Hellberg eyeing home comforts against Norwich

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is looking forward to getting back to the Riverside on Saturday and wants the home fans to create another special atmosphere, against Norwich.

Boro's Carabao Cup defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday was their fifth away game in six matches and their third in a week. Now, Hellberg is looking forward to some home comforts as they take on a Norwich side who have started to pick up wins after a shaky start.

The Swede is hoping to take inspiration from their last Teesside meeting when a Hayden Hackney goal put Middlesbrough joint top of the Championship table, but the Boro boss knows Philippe Clement's side will provide a stern test.

"Norwich are a very good side. I remember that game last season, it was a brilliant atmosphere and I remember the last five minutes were absolutely crazy," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees. "It will be a very tough game but the atmosphere in all our home games has been very good.

"After everything that happened last season, everyone has got stronger together. Everyone has raised their level – players, supporters, coaches – everyone together to go to a higher level. I think the atmosphere has been very good in every game we have played and I am looking forward to being back against a very good side.

"We need the supporters being on our side and doing everything they can to help get us over the line against a very good opposition."

He added: "Philippe Clement has done a brilliant job, he's a very good coach, builds a strong and well-coached team. He turned the season around for Norwich last year - they were in danger when he arrived and have built through that. He's a top coach and will give us a lot of different and difficult challenges.

"I think it is going to be a very good football game, two good teams against each other, brilliant kick-off time on a Saturday and we are looking forward to it."

Striker Will Lankshear missed out on winning the Championship Player of the Month award on Friday but Hellberg is delighted with the 21-year-old's contribution on and off the pitch after bagging seven goals in eight games since his summer arrival from Tottenham.

"I think he has done brilliantly, he's a good boy and has come into the team perfectly. He works very hard on and off the pitch and that's the culture we are trying to create here.

"I have seen a massive difference in the group, how they have progressed from the first day here to how we have gone forward and take care of each other in a very good way.

"I have so many good players here who compete in a brilliant way to try and help Middlesbrough win games and Will is one of them and it helps when you score a lot of goals."

The visit of Norwich marks the start of three games in eight days for Boro, who have two fixtures at home and a trip to Birmingham City before the start of a three-week international break.

Hellberg is hoping to use that window as a chance to continue to get new arrivals up to speed. An influx of players over the summer made it difficult to manage pre-season and the start of the league campaign.

"The break comes at a very good time for us. I had to try and almost make a half pre-season in the beginning because there were so many new players coming in that we had to use games to try and get everyone to understand how we wanted to play and work.

"The players have been brilliant, 10 points from those five games with three away from home. It is a brilliant start and now this week will be important to keep getting points on the board and hopefully grow from that."