Week 17 – Wednesday – Sport Grill

Middlesbrough entertain Blackburn in a huge Championship encounter in the play-off race.

Victory will return Middlesbrough to fifth and five points off the summit, whilst Blackburn can go eighth if Millwall lose at Portsmouth.

Team News

Seny Dieng could return in goal for Middlesbrough after he missed their 6-2 win at Oxford Utd due to illness.

Ben Doak and Hayden Hackney (both ankle) are doubts but Darragh Lenihan (fitness), Lukas Engel (muscle) and Tommy Smith (Achilles) are still sidelined.

Blackburn will welcome Tyrhys Dolan back from suspension after their home game against Portsmouth was postponed, due to Storm Bert.

Balazs Toth (ankle), Hayden Carter (knee), Arnor Sigurdsson (thigh/calf), Zak Gilsenan (thigh) and Scott Wharton (ACL) are ruled out.

When is Kick-Off?

Middlesbrough host Blackburn at Riverside Stadium on Wednesday 27 November at 7:45pm GMT, live on Sky Sports + in the UK.

Stat Attack

• Middlesbrough have won one of their last 10 meetings against Blackburn (W1, D4, L5).
• Blackburn are unbeaten in their last nine visits to Middlesbrough (W2, D7).
• Boro kept just two clean sheets in their last nine home games against Blackburn.
• Emmanuel Latte Lath has scored five goals in Boro’s last three games.
• Four of Blackburn’s seven away goals this season were scored in the second half.

Prediction

Although Middlesbrough have found their attacking groove with 15 goals in their last three games, they failed to keep a single clean sheet which is a worry especially given their awful form against Blackburn.

Blackburn though will have the fitness advantage after their game was called off on Saturday, but they were clinical in their last outing away to Cardiff which is a positive for them.

Two-and-a-half weeks without competitive action however could count against Blackburn if Boro fly out of the traps, yet teams have stuttered straight after a dominant win scoreline wise so this is a sticky test for the hosts.

I however do feel that Middlesbrough do have the momentum to end their head-to-head rut here.

Prediction: Middlesbrough 2-1 Blackburn