Middlesbrough vs Blackburn predictions: Boro to maintain play-off push

- Middlesbrough have won their last three Championship games
- Blackburn are winless in seven league matches
- Recommended bet: Middlesbrough to win

Middlesbrough will be hoping to continue their Championship play-off push when they host a Blackburn side struggling for points despite their recent change in management.

Boro have won their last three games to hold ninth place in the standings, five points behind Norwich in sixth, while Blackburn have won just one of their last 16 league games to find themselves in 18th place, just three points above the drop zone.

Team news

Middlesbrough have no fresh injury concerns, although Michael Carrick is still dealing with the absences of Alex Bangura, Josh Coburn, Hayden Hackney and Dael Fry.

Kyle McFadzean will serve a suspension for Blackburn, joining the likes of Hayden Carter, John Fleck, Harry Leonard, Joe Rankin-Costello and Sondre Tronstad on the sidelines.

The stats

Middlesbrough have won their last three Championship games.

Blackburn are winless in seven league matches, while they have taken just two points from their last nine away games in the league.

Boro have won four of their last six fixtures to thrust themselves into the play-off picture.

Rovers have drawn five of their last six games in the Championship but are only three points above the relegation zone.

Prediction

Middlesbrough suffered some troubling times in the early stages of 2024 but Carrick’s men seem to have navigated their way through their poor form and recent results suggest they could be in line for a Championship play-off push in the final nine weeks of the season.

Boro’s 1-0 win at Birmingham last time out made it three successive wins for the ninth-placed side and their performances have reflected these results, with them scoring six times and conceding just once in this run.

Victory at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday could take them to within two points of a play-off position as we approach the business end of the season and Carrick will feel three points are there for the taking as the confidence grows among his players.

Blackburn, by contrast, have sunk down to 18th in the table and just three points above the drop zone after a dismal run of form, with defeat on Saturday potentially taking them as low as 21st should other results go against them.

Rovers have won just one of their last 16 Championship assignments and their last win on the road came all the way back in November 2023.

They have taken just two points from the 27 available away from home since that win against fellow strugglers Stoke and they have shipped a massive 22 goals in this period.

Boro’s 3-1 victory over Norwich earlier this month treated the Riverside Stadium faithful to their first win since before Christmas but, with form on their side and Blackburn struggling, back them to reward the loyal home supporters once again on Saturday.

Back Middlesbrough to win at 4/5 with LiveScore Bet.

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