2019-20 Sky Bet Championship: Week 36 – Monday

Relegation battling Middlesbrough face a tough test as they welcome promotion chasing Nottingham Forest to the Riverside Stadium. 

Having slipped into the relegation zone after Wigan defeated West Bromwich Albion earlier this weekend, Boro need a win to move back above the Latics whilst Forest know that victory will put them back to within a point of third-placed Fulham.

 

Team news 

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Anfernee Dijksteel could be in contention to return from a lengthy knee injury after featuring in Friday’s U23s clash against Newcastle United. 

George Friend and Ashley Fletcher are doubts after suffering hamstring injuries in Wednesday’s defeat to Leeds. 

Patrick Roberts (hamstring), Daniel Ayala (ankle) and Dael Fry (thigh) all remain sidelined. 

Forest could again be without Nuno Da Costa with an adductor injury. 

Sammy Ameobi (hip) and Lewis Grabban (knee) are doubts and could join Samba Sow and Tendayi Darikwa (both knee) on the sidelines. 

 

Form

Boro enter this match without a league win since New Year Day (D4, L5), whilst losing each of their last three games by one goal results against Luton, Barnsley and Leeds.

Forest come into this match with one loss in their last five (W2, D2, L1), whilst keeping just two clean sheets in their last five away trips. 

 

Stat Attack

• Middlesbrough have taken just four points from their last six meetings against Nottingham Forest (W1, D1, L4).
• Forest have won just two of their last 14 trips to Boro (W2, D8, L4), keeping a clean sheet in victories in January 2016 and October 2018 respectively. 
• No team has scored fewer goals in the Championship this season than Middlesbrough, with 34 goals in 35 games of which just two came from the penalty spot by Paddy McNair.

 

Prediction

After three solid but sloppy performances, Middlesbrough now need to step up and find goals because their goal record is just poor with just six lower league teams having a worse record. 

Forest meanwhile can be quite inconsistent at times but seem to get the job done regularly, which is why they’re fighting for promotion and this game is surely a must win if they’re to kick on in the run-in. 

It’s therefore difficult to see Boro getting anything from this game unless they score first, yet their defence has been poor so I have to go for a comfortable Forest win if they turn up and dominate this game.

Prediction: Middlesbrough 0-2 Nottingham Forest

Result: Middlesbrough 2-2 Nottingham Forest