Promotion-chasing Middlesbrough face a massive showdown against relegation-battling Portsmouth in the Championship.
Victory could lift Middlesbrough up to second if Ipswich fail to win at Norwich in the lunchtime kick-offs, whilst Portsmouth can potentially move four points clear of the relegation zone with a win.
Team News
Matt Targett is set to return for Middlesbrough after he missed their 2-2 draw at Swansea with a knock.
Alex Bangura is ruled out after he suffered a muscle injury in Swansea on Easter Monday.
Morgan Whittaker (knock) and Sammy Silvera (foot) face late fitness checks, but Leo Castledine (unspecified), Hayden Hackney (calf), Alfie Jones (ankle) and Darragh Lenihan (Achilles) remain ruled out.
Portsmouth will currently be without defender, Connor Ogilvie after he was red carded in their 2-2 draw at home to Oxford United on Easter Monday, although his red card is under appeal with no timescale on whether it could be rescinded prior to the teamsheet announcement time of 1:45pm BST.
Thomas Waddingham and Josh Knight will both be back in contention following recoveries from respective quad and back injuries.
Aji Alese (quad), Mark Kosznovszky (ACL/MCL), Franco Umeh (hamstring), Makenzie Kirk (Achilles), Josh Murphy (metatarsal), Zak Swanson and Florian Bianchini (both knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Middlesbrough host Portsmouth at Riverside Stadium on Saturday 11 April at 3pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last nine meetings against Portsmouth (W1, D5, L3).
- Portsmouth have won just one of their last 11 visits to Middlesbrough (W1, D8, L2).
- Middlesbrough are looking to avoid suffering three consecutive league defeats against Portsmouth for the first time since December 1991 – April 1994.
- Middlesbrough are winless in their last five matches (D3, L2).
- Portsmouth have scored in each of their last six away matches (W2, D2, L2).
Prediction
Knowing that their fate is out of their own hands now Ipswich sit second with two games in hand, Middlesbrough realistically need to win every game now after only drawing at Swansea, where they started and finished brightly but made sloppy fouls to concede two penalties.
Portsmouth meanwhile are fighting for their lives as evidenced by how well they dug in to snatch a 2-2 draw at home to their relegation rivals – Oxford United, but this is a massive test of their quality against a team keen to stop their recent dip and get back on the winning trail.
I nevertheless expect a strong battle given what is at stake but Middlesbrough really should edge this if they cut out the mistakes.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 2-1 Portsmouth
Result: Middlesbrough 0-1 Portsmouth
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