Middlesbrough welcome Brentford to the Riverside Stadium in Saturday’s big Sky Bet Championship clash.
Should Bournemouth lose to Birmingham City, victory would send Boro sixth whereas Brentford can reclaim second with a win and move to within a point of league leaders – Norwich after the Canaries lost at Swansea on Friday evening.
Team News
Neeskens Kebano is set for his Middlesbrough debut after signing on loan on deadline day from Fulham.
Free agent, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is also in contention for his debut after penning a contract on deadline day.
Marcus Browne, Marcus Tavernier (both knee), Grant Hall (thigh), Dael Fry (calf) and Anfernee Dijksteel (abscess) remain sidelined.
Brentford look set to welcome Bryan Mbeumo back after a knock kept the Frenchman out of their last two matches.
Josh Dasilva (hip) is a doubt and could join Pontus Jansson, Christian Norgaard (both ankle), Charlie Goode (illness), Emiliano Marcondes (back) and Shandon Baptiste (knee) on sidelines.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have taken just four points from their last five Championship meetings against Brentford (W1, D1, L3).
- Brentford have taken seven points from their last five regular season trips to Middlesbrough (W2, D1, L2).
- Boro have failed to net in their last three home games.
Prediction
Boro enter this match lucky to still sit seventh with just seven points from their last seven league games, with their sudden home slump a particular concern given how well drilled their home form usually is.
Brentford meanwhile have delivered two excellent performances in the last week and look to be peaking at the right time, which Neil Warnock needs to bear in mind because he would be wise to set Boro up defensively on the counter attack here.
Do that then we could well see a surprise result in store but I genuinely can’t see Brentford falling to a shock defeat here given their momentum and attacking ability, which should comfortably clear this hurdle if Boro continue their slide in home form.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 0-2 Brentford
Result: Middlesbrough 1-4 Brentford
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