Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has called on the Riverside faithful to create a special atmosphere when Norwich City visit on Saturday, as Boro welcome a home fixture after a gruelling run on the road.

Five away games in six

Boro's Carabao Cup trip to Crystal Palace on Tuesday was their fifth away fixture in six matches, including three in the space of seven days. Hellberg, in his own words, is now looking forward to "home comforts" and is hoping supporters will play their part in what he expects to be a demanding Championship afternoon.

"The atmosphere in all our home games has been very good," the Swede told BBC Radio Tees. "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."

Respect for Clement's Norwich

Hellberg was fulsome in his praise for the visitors, who have steadied after a difficult opening to the campaign and are beginning to pick up points. He singled out Norwich head coach Philippe Clement for particular credit, noting what the Belgian achieved after being appointed with the club in trouble last term.

"Philippe Clement has done a brilliant job, he's a very good coach, builds a strong and well-coached team," Hellberg said. "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."

Hellberg also recalled the atmosphere during the sides' last Teesside meeting, when a Hayden Hackney goal sent Middlesbrough joint to the top of the Championship table. "I remember that game last season, it was a brilliant atmosphere and I remember the last five minutes were absolutely crazy," he said. "It is going to be a very good football game, two good teams against each other."

Lankshear making his mark

One of the talking points heading into Saturday is the form of striker Will Lankshear, who missed out on the Championship Player of the Month award on Friday but has still caught the eye with seven goals in eight games since his summer arrival from Tottenham Hotspur. The 21-year-old's contribution has not gone unnoticed by his manager.

"I think he has done brilliantly, he's a good boy and has come into the team perfectly," Hellberg said. "He works very hard on and off the pitch and that's the culture we are trying to create here. It helps when you score a lot of goals."

International break on the horizon

Saturday's match kicks off a busy eight-day spell for Middlesbrough, who have two home fixtures and a trip to Birmingham City before a three-week international break. Hellberg acknowledged that the break arrives at a useful moment given the volume of new players who arrived over the summer, making a conventional pre-season difficult to deliver.

"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," he explained.

He was, however, broadly satisfied with the return so far: "Ten 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."

With Norwich arriving in improved form and Clement's side growing in confidence, Hellberg knows the Riverside atmosphere could prove decisive. Whether the home crowd can produce the kind of intensity that helped Boro push joint to the top of the table last season remains to be seen, but the head coach is clearly banking on it.

Frequently asked

When do Middlesbrough play Norwich City?
Middlesbrough host Norwich City at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon, according to the report.
How many goals has Will Lankshear scored for Middlesbrough?
Will Lankshear has scored seven goals in eight games for Middlesbrough since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Who is the Middlesbrough manager?
Kim Hellberg is the Middlesbrough head coach. The Swede took charge of the club and has guided them to ten points from their opening five Championship fixtures.