Middlesbrough are winless in their past five Championship games (D3, L2)
Portsmouth have taken just one point from their last five games
Recommended bet: Over 3.5 goals
Middlesbrough's hopes of automatic promotion from the Championship have taken a major dent with just one win in the last five games.
The Teesiders have slipped out of the top for the first time in three months and enter this round of games level on 72 points with Ipswich and Millwall in what looks like a three-way scrap for second place behind runway leaders Coventry.
Portsmouth remain embroiled in a battle for safety, one point above the relegation zone despite four defeats in their last five games.
The latest Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Team news
Alex Bangura started for the first time since January 4 and found the net in Boro's draw with Swansea before going off not long after the half-hour. The defender may be sidelined again now.
Matt Targett could return after missing that game, but key midfielder Hayden Hackney (calf) has missed three games in a row and is a major concern for Boro, who also have Morgan Whittaker and Leo Castledine on the treatment table recently.
Pompey are without the suspended Connor Ogilvie for the trip to Teesside, while Ebou Adams, Josh Knight, Mark Kosznovszky, Josh Murphy and Zak Swanson are all set to miss out with injuries.
Jordan Williams may get the nod at full-back with Ogilvie out, while Millenic Alli produced the assist for Andre Dozzell's late leveller against Oxford and will hope for a return to the starting XI.
The stats
The last four league meetings between these two sides at the Riverside have ended level.
Over 3.5 goals has landed in four of the last six meetings at Middlesbrough, while both teams have scored in seven of the last nine overall.
Boro have won just one of their past nine league games against Portsmouth (D5, L3).
Pompey are on an eight-game winless streak in the Championship (D3, L5) and have conceded 13 goals in their last five games.
Middlesbrough are in a three-way tie behind Championship leaders Coventry, while Pompey are one of three clubs split by a point in the bottom four.
The latest Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg knows his side desperately need a win to reignite hopes of automatic promotion.
Boro appeared well on course for a top-two finish earlier in the spring, even going top at one stage in February, but they have lost their way, failing to win any of the last five in the Championship.
One point from the last 15 on offer has done nothing to aid Portsmouth's survival bid. John Mousinho's outfit have gone eight games without a win and are outside the drop zone only due to Leicester and Oxford's struggles.
The last three Riverside meetings of these sides have ended 2-2, the same scoreline from Middlesbrough's draw with Swansea and Pompey's stalemate with Oxford on Monday.
In the time since they last won a Championship game, Boro have had more shots and more touches in the opposition's box than any second tier side, recording an xG of 12.9 but scoring just four goals.
If things click they could score heavily, but two clean sheets in eight is less than inspiring. Three of their last seven have gone over 3.5 goals as have two of Pompey's last three.
Both sides are desperate for points and we could see them involved in a high-scoring scrap.
