A real chance for Bournemouth to turn up the heat on Barnsley and Reading as they welcome Middlesbrough to the Vitality Stadium

Bournemouth have a huge opportunity to put some real pressure on Reading and Barnsley as the race to make the Play-Off places intensifies with the Cherries hosting Middlesbrough who aren’t completely out of the picture themselves.

This is all because Jonathan Woodgate’s side are in action at 3pm on Good Friday, before the Tykes and the Royals meet in the early evening kick-off with huge implications for a number of clubs in the division.

Whilst Bournemouth can’t control what other clubs do, they know that they can put some real heat on the team currently occupying the final two places in the top six with victory over Boro.

If they can do so, they will move ahead of Reading on goal difference and just two points adrift of Barnsley having played the same number of games so you could argue that the perfect result at Oakwell for Bournemouth would be a draw but it’s vital they do their business on the pitch first.

However, standing in their way is Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough who are just three points adrift of the Cherries but have played a game more due to Woodgate’s side’s involvement in the FA Cup before the international break.

Over the years, Warnock’s sides have always been tough to play against and this Middlesbrough side is no different, conceding just 39 goals so far this term which is the joint-seventh best record in the division with Millwall the only side below them who have conceded fewer.

They have largely been inconsistent though, this is indicated in their last five outings. Three wins have been secured but they have also been beaten twice in this run which implies that it’s very hard to know which type of Boro side you are going to get, especially given there has been a two-week break.

The Cherries have a very similar record themselves over the past five games, collecting a point more than Boro in that spell which has halted an alarming run of form which preceded it.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the injuries with several first-team stars set to return to the fold on Good Friday after missing the Southampton FA Cup game.

Adam Smith, David Brooks and Junior Stanislas are all expected to be back involved with the side after time away. Jefferson Lerma will return from suspension and Lloyd Kelly will be back involved after missing the Swansea and Southampton games as he has been away with England Under 21’s at the European Championships during the break.

One player who has stood out for several weeks is winger Arnaut Danjuma and Woodgate has praised the talent of the Dutchman to the Bournemouth Echo.

“I’ve been chatting to Arnie quite regularly about doing this and how can he get on to the next stage. I think he’s been very good since I’ve come in.

“He seems in a good place. He’s confident. He’s working really, really hard for the team now, which I think is important.

“If you add that to your game, you can only get better. He’s got a lot of ability.

With just nine games remaining in Bournemouth’s season, it’s vital they hit the ground running with two games in just four days as they also make the trip to Lancashire on Easter Monday to face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

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