Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough welcome Cardiff City to the Riverside Stadium in Saturday’s huge clash in the race for the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs.
Victory for Boro coupled with defeat elsewhere for Barnsley would see the Teessiders climb to eighth, whereas Cardiff can potentially go fifth with a win if results elsewhere go in their favour.
Team News
Ashley Fletcher is ruled out for Middlesbrough after suffering a glutes injury in Tuesday’s defeat to Bristol City.
Yannick Bolasie (hamstring), Marcus Tavernier and Marcus Browne (both knee) remain absent.
Cardiff could be without Junior Hoilett again as the winger continues to struggle with a calf injury.
Joe Ralls (ankle), Jordi Osei-Tutu (hamstring), Lee Tomlin (groin) and Isaac Vassell (quad) all remain sidelined.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have taken just four points from their last seven meetings against Cardiff (W1, D1, L5).
- Cardiff have lost four of their last seven trips to Riverside Stadium (W3, L4).
- Just one of Boro’s last 27 league goals have come from a defender – Dael Fry netted a late consolatory goal in Tuesday’s defeat to Bristol City.
Prediction
After two excellent performances, Middlesbrough just seemed to drop the ball in midweek with poor defending throughout in midweek against Bristol City, especially when lost possession high up the pitch which ultimately cost them.
Cardiff meanwhile are finally clicking as a team and just simply took their chances in a scruffy encounter at Bournemouth on Wednesday, which will stand them in good stead because Boro will definitely not be pushing higher up the pitch unless want to suffer another defeat.
I am therefore foreseeing a good game here because Neil Warnock will want a reaction from his players if are to keep their top six hopes alive, whereas Cardiff are just on a roll and I just don’t see that ending here however hard Boro try.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-2 Cardiff
Result: Middlesbrough 1-1 Cardiff
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