Struggling Middlesbrough host promotion pushing Nottingham Forest at the Riverside

Relegation battling Middlesbrough face Nottingham Forest in a make or break game for both sides. Boro currently sit 22nd in the Championship, two points away from safety.

Middlesbrough have not won a match in ten games, with their last win coming on New Year’s Day against Preston at Deepdale.

Boro’s last league outing came on Wednesday when they played Leeds at the Riverside. A 1-0 loss for Jonathan Woodgate’s men came when Mateusz Klich scored in added time of the first-half with Boro unable to get an equaliser or a winner during the second-half.

Forest were victorious last time they played in the Championship. They were able to get past Cardiff City when Tiago Silva scored the only goal in the game in the 49th minute of the game.

Forest sit fourth in the Championship, four points away from Fulham in third, nine points away from Leeds in second and ten points away from West Brom who top the Championship at the moment.

Team news

Middlesbrough have hamstring concerns over Ashley Fletcher and George Friend for Forest’s visit on Monday.

Boro are still without Daniel Ayala, Dael Fry and Patrick Roberts

Promotion-chasing Forest are again likely to be without Nuno da Costa, who has an adductor injury.

Sammy Ameobi has been struggling with a hip problem, but should feature, as should striker Lewis Grabban has had a recent knee complaint, but Samba Sow and Tendayi Darikwa are out.

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate offered an update on George Friend and Ashley Fletcher in his media conference on Thursday:

“There are slight hamstring injuries,” Woodgate explained.

“We’ll maybe scan them tomorrow but we’ll see how they get on in the next 48 hours. Hopefully it won’t be too bad, the doctor doesn’t think it will be too bad so let’s see.”

The Boro boss says progress with Boro’s other injured players has been good: “Patrick Roberts is getting there, as is Dani Ayala but I don’t want to put a time limit on them.

“And Dael Fry as well, I’d put them three in the same boat. With Patrick it’s a muscle injury so you have to be particularly careful.”

Nottingham Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi was full of praise for his side’s mentality as they prepare for another away trip, this time to Middlesbrough:

“For confidence, it was big because how many teams have won at Cardiff? Just one before us and we deserve the victory and deserve to score more.

“The way we played was good, we controlled the game so I think for the confidence it is good. We need this confidence for the last 11 games, the 11 finals to play. With confidence, it is really important but step-by-step, the mentality of the players is changing a little bit and this is really positive.

“They are switched on, they are focused, they are determined. They want to increase the belief; if the fans start to believe, just imagine the players. They are doing a lot of sacrifice, a lot of effort and they have done a fantastic job until now.

“They are in the best position to know, why not us? They want to increase the belief and they switch on immediately before the game, before all sessions. The weather and the pitches, it is not easy to work being a bit tired physically and mentally. It is not easy to find the right way to work in the best way for the next game every week, but this group is just fantastic.”

Head-to-head

Middlesbrough have lost four of their last six Championship games against Nottingham Forest (W1 D1). Nottingham Forest are looking to win consecutive away league games against Middlesbrough for the first time since February 1993.