Middlesbrough take on Stoke City in a crunch clash at the foot of the Championship at the Riverside Stadium.
A win will send Boro up into 18th ahead of the weekend’s games whilst Stoke will leapfrog their relegation rivals with victory, consequently dropping Luton into the relegation zone.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesMiddlesbrough will be without Marcus Browne after his red card at Swansea last weekend.
Paddy McNair is also suspended after losing an appeal against his dismissal in that game for a late challenge on Matt Grimes.
Ryan Shotton, Anfernee Dijksteel, George Friend and Darren Randolph all remain ruled out.
Britt Assombalonga meanwhile is back in training after an ankle injury but won’t be risked here.
Stoke could rest Ryan Shawcross as he continues to slowly return to full match fitness after suffering a horrific leg injury in pre-season, although a groin injury suffered at Luton a fortnight ago kept him sidelined last weekend.
Other than Shawcross, Michael O’Neill has a full squad available for selection.
Form
Boro are unbeaten in three of their last five matches, with six of their seven points in that time coming from their two home wins over Barnsley and Charlton.
Stoke are unbeaten in their last two games (W1, D1) but have won just one of their last five away trips, which came away to Barnsley in Michael O’ Neill’s first game in charge last month.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have taken five points from their last five league meetings with Stoke (W1, D2, L2).
- Stoke won just one of their four trips to the Riverside Stadium (W1, D1, L2).
- Middlesbrough has been in the relegation zone four times this season but never below 22nd position on each of those occasions.
Prediction
Discipline has been a huge issue for Middlesbrough in the past month, which is quite worrying because they are wasting chances to win games through accumulating suspended players whether through collecting five yellow cards or instant sending offs.
Stoke meanwhile are showing signs of progress despite a recent wobble but I think they are going to need to sit back and frustrate Boro into reckless fouls, because if they do and the various Teessiders start making mistakes then I can see them somehow winning this game.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-2 Stoke City
Result: Middlesbrough 2-1 Stoke City