--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-09-08T21:35:44.604Z last_updated: 2026-09-08T05:00:00+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/middlesbrough/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ2F6ZXR0ZWxpdmUuY28udWsvc3BvcnQvZm9vdGJhbGwvZm9vdGJhbGwtbmV3cy9taWRkbGVzYnJvdWdocy1jcnlzdGFsLXBhbGFjZS1wbGFuLWhvdy0zNDU4MTM2OQ --- # Boro's Crystal Palace plan and how Kim Hellberg will use Premier League test - **Source:** - **Published:** 8 Sept - **Club:** Middlesbrough - **Original URL:** https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/middlesbroughs-crystal-palace-plan-how-34581369 The third round tie will see Boro travel to the home of the Premier League side after beating Wrexham and Doncaster Rovers to reach this stage of the competition. With the Championship the priority for Boro, however, Hellberg has used the last two games with the needs of players in mind, rather than with an emphasis on the result. Changes were made at Doncaster in the second round, as the Boro boss used the game to top of the minutes of some players, while helping to integrate others in his squad which consists of 12 summer signings. Given that round three sees them travel to take on a strong Premier League opponent at Selhurst Park, however, the question was always whether that cup approach would continue, or whether Hellberg would use the game to test his full strength side against Palace. Asked after the win at QPR, Hellberg said: “I think we need to use the squad. We need to put players in that are coming back or coming in. “I need to use it the same way as I've done with almost all the league games in terms of taking the chance in the cup games to grow from that. So there will be changes, absolutely. “There will be players that get the chance. You can see the squad today, we have to leave good players out of the squad. How good the group are together will be important to keep that, because you need players. Get the most comprehensive Middlesbrough news and analysis straight to your Inbox! To get it, it's a quick and easy one-two: Get Teesside Live Premium now for just £1 HERE – exclusive Boro news and features, transfer notebooks, comment and analysis from Eric Paylor, plus an ad-lite experience “Today, for example, we used all four centre-backs and I think I have four absolutely brilliant centre-backs in different ways, which is brilliant. I have a lot of offensive players too. “And that's the thing I tell the players every day: ‘work as hard as you ever can, and take the chance when you get the chance, whether that is 5 minutes, 10 minutes, whatever it is’. “It will be the same thing now. It will be good to see us playing against a good side, and we will try to win it. There will also be players that have the chance to show that they can get even better and we can grow from it.” Jeremy Sarmiento remains a doubt for the game, but Sam Byram, Connor Barron and Amario Cozier-Duberry could all come into the side for their debuts, while Rokas Pukstas could make his first Boro start in the game. This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.