Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg insists he is relishing the challenge of Saturday's home fixture against Charlton Athletic, with his side sitting at the top of the Championship table after 12 games played.

Boro arrive at the fixture in fine fettle following a thumping 5-1 victory at Bolton last Friday, a result that lifted them to the summit of the second tier. Striker Will Lankshear has been central to that form: the forward took his Championship goal tally to 11 with his contribution at Bolton, helping the club to 27 league goals across their opening 12 matches. They have found the net in every Championship game so far this season.

Positive energy on the training pitch

Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees that the mood around the squad reflects the performance level. "You could see on the training pitch there was a lot of positive energy from the players because of the performance," he said. "It gives you a good platform to go out and do a good training, which we have done."

He was careful not to let the table position breed complacency, adding: "Again, there were things that we want to improve from the game, and there were things that we did very, very good. We go through everything as normal and try to put the right foot in front of the left one and keep walking forward."

On the visitors, Hellberg offered straightforward respect rather than the kind of press-release magnanimity that tends to precede a routine win. "They are a good side and have a very good coach," he said. "I am really looking forward to the challenge on Saturday and to keep improving."

Charlton arrive in difficult form

The Charlton that travel to the Riverside on Saturday are a very different proposition from the leaders they face. The south London club are currently winless in nine consecutive Championship matches, a run that stretches back to 29 August. That sequence has left them deep in the lower half of the table and has already prompted searching questions about their midfield shape and overall defensive structure.

The contrast in momentum between the two sides could hardly be starker: Boro have scored freely and climbed to first place, while Charlton have not won a league game in well over a month. Whether Hellberg's squad can manage the pressure of being top of the division, rather than chasing it, is a question Saturday will start to answer.

Strelec back in contention; Jones still sidelined

Hellberg confirmed two significant fitness updates ahead of the fixture. Slovakian international striker David Strelec, who has managed only 10 minutes of Championship football this season and has been absent from the matchday squad since Boro's 2-2 draw with Birmingham, is now back in contention.

"I think David is a top striker. He has so much quality, and I am very happy having him back now," Hellberg said. "It's never good to have injuries, but they have come at a bad time. But I can see him back on the pitch now, and he looks very, very sharp."

The news is less encouraging regarding defender Alfie Jones, who is carrying an ankle injury. Hellberg confirmed Jones remains "some weeks" away from returning to first-team action, ruling him out of the upcoming schedule that, after Charlton, includes away trips to Wrexham and Watford before the second international break.

Whether Strelec can add further firepower to a front line already producing at a striking rate, and whether Charlton can arrest their worrying run with a result at one of the division's form sides, are the two storylines worth watching when the whistle blows on Saturday.

Frequently asked

Are Middlesbrough top of the Championship?
Yes. Middlesbrough went top of the Championship after their 5-1 win at Bolton, having scored 27 goals in their first 12 league games this season.
How long have Charlton Athletic gone without a win in the Championship?
Charlton are winless in their last nine Championship matches, a run that dates back to 29 August.
Is David Strelec fit to play for Middlesbrough against Charlton?
Manager Kim Hellberg has confirmed that Strelec is back in contention after injury, having played just 10 minutes of Championship football this season. He is available for selection against Charlton.