Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough continue their quest for promotion from the Championship on Saturday when they host Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium.
The home team are fifth with 40 points after 25 games and beat Hull City 1-0 on Wednesday, while their opponents are second last in 23rd place with 22 points from 24 matchweeks and drew 1-1 with Coventry City on January 1.
Match preview
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Middlesbrough only created one big chance against Hull but claimed all three points thanks to Alex Gilbert's 93rd-minute winner, though they did prevent the Tigers from registering a single attempt on target.
The hosts are nine points from the second of two automatic promotion spots at the top of the league and only occupy one of the four promotion playoff spots below second place by one point, with seventh-placed Blackburn Rovers on 39 points.
Carrick's side had drawn the three games prior to their victory against Hull, but they are at least unbeaten in their last five, scoring eight and conceding six in that time.
Middlesbrough have been held to stalemates in their two most recent home fixtures – including a 0-0 draw with second-placed Burnley on December 29 - but they did win the previous two at the Riverside Stadium.
Boro ran out 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture against Cardiff in late August, a match in which neither side produced a big chance.
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Opposition boss Omer Riza was furious with the referee during his side's draw with Coventry and criticised him in the aftermath for sending off Callum Robinson in the opening stages of the second half when the score was 1-1.
A victory would have seen Riza's side win for a second consecutive game and pick up as many points in their last two as they had in their previous 10 Championship outings.
While Cardiff are unbeaten in their last two games, they have won just one of their past 11 fixtures, losing six and drawing four matches in that period.
Having scored 24 goals and conceded on 39 occasions in the second tier, the club rank as the division's joint third-worst offensive and joint fourth-worst defensive team.
The Bluebirds away record is dismal this season considering they have drawn six, been defeated in five and triumphed in just one of their 12 fixtures on the road in 2024-25.
Team News
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Middlesbrough's injury list is extensive, with defenders Alex Bangura, Darragh Lenihan and Luke Ayling on the treatment table alongside goalkeepers Seny Dieng and Tommy Smith.
Carrick could name an unchanged backline from his side's match against Hull, with Anfernee Dijksteel, Dael Fry, Rav van den Berg and Lukas Engel likely to start in front of Tom Glover.
Daniel Barlaser and Hayden Hackney are almost certain to start in midfield given Aidan Morris and Jonathan Howson are injured.
Elsewhere, forward Solomon Brynn is not scheduled to return from a dislocated shoulder injury until early April while Tommy Conway is also ruled out, and this could mean that Ben Doak, Finn Azaz and Riley McGree support striker Emmanuel Latte Lath on Saturday.
As for Cardiff, striker Robinson's suspension is confounded by the fact forwards Isaak Davies and Michael Reindorf will not make the matchday squad due to injury.
Yakou Meite could replace Robinson up front, and he may be flanked by wingers Cian Ashford and Chris Willock.
Midfielders Aaron Ramsey and David Turnbull are not available for selection, much like defender Ryotaro Tsunoda, so expect Manolis Siopis and Calum Chambers to be stationed in front of centre-backs Dimitris Goutas and Jesper Daland.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Glover; Dijksteel, Fry, Van den Berg, Engel; Barlaser, Hackney; Doak, Azaz, McGree; Lath
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Rinomhota, Goutas, Daland, O'Dowda; Siopis, Chambers; Ashford, Robertson, Willock; Meite
We say: Middlesbrough 2-0 Cardiff City
Although Middlesbrough are in the midst of an injury crisis, they have been difficult to beat in recent weeks, and it is hard to see them losing against Cardiff.
Additionally, the visitors' record on the road is poor, and it would not be surprising if their defensive frailty was once again exposed on Saturday.
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Lewis Nolan
