Burton Albion will have to recover mentally as much as physically from Saturday's defeat to Hull City when they take on Middlesbrough tomorrow, according to manager Nigel Clough.

The unforgiving early weeks of the Championship mean the Brewers are preparing for the fourth of five games in 13 days as they travel to the Riverside Stadium - their second clash in a row against a team just down from the Premier League.

The first of those did not end well, with Albion - shorn of Jackson Irvine from the 38th minute following his second booking of the match - going down 4-1 to the Tigers, despite being level and well in contention at 1-1 when Irvine was dismissed.

Burton Albion players after the 4-1 loss to Hull City
Burton Albion players after the 4-1 loss to Hull City

Had it not been for some superb saves by Stephen Bywater, the scoreline might have been even more damaging for Burton, as Clough pointed out after the game.

Given the pressure the Brewers' 10-men were put under for the entirety of the second half at the KCOM Stadium, Clough believes that his team's psychological response against Boro will be as important as the way they play.

But he knows that, physically, his team must respond as well after a punishing clash.

"It's hard playing with 10 men for an hour," said the Albion boss after the Hull defeat.

"We'll try to freshen it up a little with one or two, but it'll mainly be the same players out there.

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"It'll be mental now that they have to get their head around, and get themselves ready for a battle at Middlesbrough on Tuesday."

Boro - who secured a 1-0 home victory at the expense of Sheffield United on Saturday - will provide another stern test for Clough's squad, which will lack the presence of the suspended Irvine and the injured Stephen Warnock.

But the Burton manager knows how his side can benefit in the long run from the early-season workouts they are being put through.

"It isn't helpful when you have so many games close together - it isn't," he added.

Burton are likely to be without Stephen Warnock at Middlesbrough
Burton are likely to be without Stephen Warnock at Middlesbrough

"You see people are trying to get up to speed, and then playing on a muggy day (at Hull), the pitch got a bit sticky.

"We were chasing for 60 minutes of the game, so it is difficult - but we will benefit later on in the season, certainly.

"Lucas Akins is okay, he's our fittest player. That's why he played on Wednesday (at Oldham Athletic in the Carabao Cup) and that's why he played 90 minutes again at Hull.

"Hope Akpan had his first start and he is frustrated with how he played, but he'll be better for the 65 minutes ready for Tuesday."