Middlesbrough host promotion rivals, Hull City in a huge Sky Bet Championship showdown.
Kim Hellberg’s Middlesbrough will stay second irrespective of the result, whilst Hull can climb to third if Ipswich fail to win at Coventry in the early-evening kick-off.
Team News
George Edmundson, Alfie Jones and Matt Targett are doubtful for Middlesbrough after the defensive trio limped off in their goalless draw against Blackburn with respective unspecified, ankle and leg injuries.
Aiden Morris (muscle) won’t be risked unless fit for selection.
Riley McGree (hamstring), Abdoulaye Kante (hernia/groin) and Darragh Lenihan (Achilles) remain ruled out.
Hull could be without Mohamed Belloumi due to a hamstring injury which forced him off in their 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.
John Lundstram (back), Joe Gelhardt, Brandon Williams (both calf), Eliot Matazo (ACL), Matty Jacob (knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Middlesbrough host Hull at MKM Stadium on Monday 29 December at 7:45pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last seven meetings against Hull (W5, D1, L1).
- Hull have claimed seven points in their last nine league visits to Middlesbrough (W2, D1, L6).
- Two of Middlesbrough’s last three home games ended in 3-1 victories for Boro, whilst the other saw Hull win 2-1 in December 2023.
- Boro are looking to avoid failing to score in three regular-season games for the first time since a four-match streak in April 2022.
- Hull have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five away matches (W2, D1, L2).
Prediction
With their clinical finishing touches having deserted them in their last two matches, Boro really need to find their goalscoring boots again because their gap to the chasing pack won’t last forever and defeat would put Hull within two points of them.
Hull though have their own issues because they were defensively sloppy at times at Hillsborough which Sheffield Wednesday capitalised on, yet they did show grit and determination to claw a point from that game which will give them a boost coming into this crucial game for their top-two hopes.
Given that this falls in-between three games in six days for both teams who have some key absentees, I am not expecting much as there will definitely be player rotation in effect but Boro should just about make home advantage count if this isn’t goalless.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-0 Hull
Result: Middlesbrough 0-1 Hull