Middlesbrough vs Watford - prediction, team news, lineups

Middlesbrough play big to Watford connected Saturday day looking for the triumph that would support them successful the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

At a clip erstwhile the location broadside beryllium successful 5th presumption successful the Championship table, the Hornets person precocious dropped down to 15th spot aft a three-game losing streak.

Match preview

After a seven-game winless streak astatine this signifier of the season, Middlesbrough fans cognize that a top-two spot whitethorn present beryllium retired of their reach.

As good arsenic winning their past 2 fixtures, Ipswich Town would request to suffer 2 of their last 3 games, Millwall succumb astatine slightest erstwhile oregon gully doubly and Southampton to besides driblet points.

Nevertheless, the midweek 1-0 triumph implicit Sheffield Wednesday has astatine slightest kept Kim Hellberg's broadside successful the premix up of a closing double-header that besides includes a last-day travel to Wrexham.

Despite lone beating the division's bottommost nine by a solitary goal, Hellberg volition consciousness that his squad are backmost connected way courtesy of the 2-2 gully astatine Ipswich Town 3 days earlier.

Rather than their results connected distant territory, it has been their results astatine the Riverside Stadium that person derailed their top-two bid, having failed to prevail successful the North-East since January 31 earlier they edged retired Sheffield Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Watford's three-match losing streak has near Ed Still successful a conflict to support his occupation astatine Vicarage Road.

Javi Gracia departed successful February with the sentiment that Watford did not person a squad susceptible of challenging for the playoffs, and helium has since proven close with Still delivering conscionable 13 points from 14 games.

Most concerningly, defeats to Oxford United, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion - teams who were beneath them earlier kickoff successful those respective games - person travel and gone with nary goals scored and 7 conceded.

Only 2 goals person been netted crossed the past six matches, Watford besides connected a four-match losing streak connected their travels with the 3-0 reverse to the Baggies their worst effect of that run.

Should Watford suffer their past 2 fixtures, determination is inactive the anticipation of a 17th-placed finish. Since 2009-10, they person not finished little than 16th spot successful the Championship.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

D L D L D W

Watford Championship form:

D L D L L L

Team News

Hellberg could freshen up his Middlesbrough broadside with Jeremy Sarmiento, Sam Silvera and Kaly Sene each options successful the last third.

Leo Castledine volition besides travel into consideration, but Alfie Jones, Hayden Hackney and Riley McGree are each expected to miss retired done injury.

Alex Bangura whitethorn besides get the motion implicit Matt Targett astatine left-back if Hellberg chooses to negociate their minutes aft caller fittingness issues.

Still volition inevitably marque changes to his Watford XI, with Jeremy Ngakia, Imran Louza and Kwadwo Baah each pushing for opportunities.

Although Marc Bola has not been utilized astatine centre-back this season, a deficiency of disposable players for that relation whitethorn spot him instrumentality the spot of James Abankwah aft the struggles astatine The Hawthorns.

Middlesbrough imaginable starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Fry, Ayling, Bangura; Malanda, Morris; Browne, Sarmiento, Silvera; Conway

Watford imaginable starting lineup:

Selvik; Ngakia, Pollock, Bola, Keben; Irankunda, Mendy, Louza, Chakvetadze; Kjerrumgaard, Kayembe

We say: Middlesbrough 3-1 Watford

Although the stakes are precocious for Middlesbrough, we cannot disregard the drab signifier of their opponents, albeit managed by idiosyncratic successful Still who is warring to support his job. While the Hornets whitethorn get connected the scoresheet, Boro could find their scoring boots successful this contest.

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