Local pride and a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup will be at stake during a Tees-Wear derby between Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
Tees-Wear rivals do battle for a place in the FA Cup fifth round
Local pride and a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup will be at stake during a Tees-Wear derby between Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
With their initial fourth round clash having produced a 1-1 draw, there must be a winner at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.
That means the prospect of extra-time and penalties is very much on the cards, as neither side will want to give an inch and risk seeing their cup dreams dashed by an old adversary.
Middlesbrough will take heart from the fact that they edged in front during the first fixture at the Stadium of Light, with Barry Robson's early effort cancelled out on the hour mark by Fraizer Campbell.
Boro will, however, need no reminding that they have gone five games without a win in all competitions, with their last success coming in the third round of the cup against Shrewsbury.
In contrast, Sunderland have won their last three Premier League fixtures to surge into the top half of the table.
They have not enjoyed the best of luck in the FA Cup in recent times, but Martin O'Neill is not the kind of manager to let his players take their foot off the gas.
The reward awaiting the victor of a midweek replay in the North East is a home date with Arsenal in round five.
Team news
Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald's season could be over as he starts the process of battling his way back from a knee injury.
The Australia international heads the list of players unavailable to manager Tony Mowbray after being told he faces at least 10-12 weeks on the sidelines with medial ligament damage.
Mowbray will be able to call upon former Black Cats man Julio Arca after he completed the three-match ban which kept him out of the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.
However, midfielder Faris Haroun (hamstring) and striker Marvin Emnes (calf) are both being assessed ahead of the game, as is midfielder Robson, who did not play at the weekend after having a cast put on his hand to protect a dislocated finger.
Keeper Danny Coyne (calf), midfielders Nicky Robson (knee) and Merouane Zemmama (hernia surgery) and striker Bart Ogbeche (hamstring) will miss out.
Sunderland boss O'Neill will be without loan signings Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
The pair, who joined the club on loan as the winter transfer window drew to a close, did not arrive in time to be registered for the competition.
Skipper Lee Cattermole will miss out once again as a result of the hamstring problem which kept him out of the initial game against his former club, while Nicklas Bendtner (broken nose), Wes Brown (knee), David Vaughan and Matt Kilgallon (both ankle) and Titus Bramble (Achilles/calf) remain on the sidelines.
