Middlesbrough host Blackburn in the stand-out Boxing Day fixture in 2025-26 Sky Bet Championship.
Boro will stay second regardless of the result but victory could move them to within three points of league leaders, Coventry, if the Sky Blues lose at home to Swansea.
Blackburn can climb as high as 15th if West Brom and Charlton both lose elsewhere.
Team News
Dael Fry could return for Middlesbrough from a lengthy calf injury if he passes late fitness checks following his return to first-team training in early December.
Aidan Morris (muscle) is also set to feature but Riley McGree is ruled out after he suffered a hamstring injury in their 2-0 loss at Bristol City.
Abdoulaye Kante (hernia/groin) and Darragh Lenihan (Achilles) remain ruled out.
Blackburn could be without Andri Gudjohnsen after the Icelandic player suffered a hamstring injury in their 2-0 home win over Millwall.
Ryan Alebiosu (international duty), Hayden Carter (calf), Kristi Montgomery (ankle), Balazs Toth (knee), Adam Forshaw, Augustus Kargbo (both hamstring) and Scott Wharton (Achilles) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Middlesbrough host Blackburn at Riverside Stadium on Friday 26 December at 3pm GMT, live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have claimed seven points in their last five league meetings against Blackburn (W2, D1, L2).
- Blackburn are unbeaten in their last ten league visits to Middlesbrough (W3, D7).
- Blackburn have kept clean sheets in three of their last five visits to Middlesbrough.
- Morgan Whittaker has scored in each of Middlesbrough’s last three home matches (W2, L1).
- Yuki Ohashi has scored in each of Blackburn’s last two matches (W1, L1).
Prediction
Given their recent away record at Bristol City, Boro were always likely to have an off day there but they did at least do everything right in terms of attack aside from their end product, so this is a chance to just reset back at home and rediscover their final touches.
Blackburn meanwhile will be buoyed by having ended their seven-match run without a clean sheet in a clinical first-half display against Millwall, before they produced a strong defensively controlled second half to shut the Lions out so I expect them to want to build on that here.
Boro though should be too strong on current form at home despite Blackburn holding the initiative at the Riverside on head-to-head record, but I seriously expect the visitors to give them a good fight if can show the same defensive quality that they produced to beat Millwall.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-1 Blackburn
Leave a Reply