Middlesbrough have drawn six of their last 16 league games
QPR have lost just one of their last six matches
Recommended bet: Draw
Kim Hellberg’s Middlesbrough are benefiting from a new manager bounce and will be targeting a fourth straight success when taking on promotion rivals QPR at the Riverside Stadium.
Switching from the Swedish top flight to the Championship could have been a tricky challenge for Hellberg, but he has got off to a superb start and has wisely decided against making drastic changes to the team’s playing style.
Middlesbrough are playing front-foot football, but they also showed plenty of defensive solidity on Tuesday as they battled to a 2-1 triumph at struggling Charlton.
And they will need to focus on both sides of the game against QPR, who are emerging as surprise play-off contenders.
The Londoners have won four of their last five matches and are up to seventh after Tuesday’s impressive 2-1 triumph at home to Birmingham.
The latest Middlesbrough vs QPR odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Team news
Middlesbrough are continuing without midfielder Aidan Morris (knee) and central defender Dael Fry (calf).
Darragh Lenihan (Achilles) is a long-term absentee but fellow defender George Edmundson is edging closer to a start after back-to-back substitute appearances.
Morgan Whittaker has netted in five consecutive games and seems certain to retain a place in the starting XI.
QPR make the long trip north without Sam Field, Rayan Kolli and Ziyad Larkeche, who are all recovering from injuries.
Paul Smyth was forced off during Tuesday’s 2-1 triumph at home to Birmingham and faces a late fitness test.
Karamoko Dembele could replace Smyth on the flank and Michael Frey and Kwame Poku are pushing to be involved in the starting XI.
The latest Middlesbrough vs QPR odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
The stats
Eight of the last 10 .matches between Middlesbrough and QPR have featured goals for both teams.
Middlesbrough have been involved in four 1-1 draws this season.
Boro have scored in 10 of their last 11 fixtures.
Six of Middlesbrough’s last eight matches have featured at least three goals.
QPR have started the scoring in three of their last four fixtures.
The latest Middlesbrough vs QPR odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Prediction
QPR have piled up 12 points from five matches since the November break and they can show their quality and resilience by sharing the spoils with Middlesbrough on Teesside.
Nineteen-year-old midfielder Kieran Morgan was QPR’s midweek hero after coming off the bench to score a 96th-minute winning goal.
But it was a strong performance from start to finish by the Londoners, who won the shot count 16 to three and thoroughly deserved their win against one of the division’s big budget teams.
QPR are growing in confidence and have shown an ability to dig in on their travels by securing important November results away to Sheffield United (0-0) and Blackburn (1-0).
They will be tested by in-form Middlesbrough but can rise to the challenge by breaking the home side’s three-game winning streak.
Back the Draw at 49/20 with LiveScore Bet.
The latest Middlesbrough vs QPR odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
