Middlesbrough vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance24,812.
Friday 13 April 2018 11:56, UK
Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis will be without skipper Grant Leadbitter through suspension for Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with Bristol City.
Leadbitter was sent off for a second bookable offence just 25 minutes into Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United and will sit out as a result. His place is likely to be taken by Adam Clayton, who has been used as a substitute in the last three games.
Full-back Fabio da Silva also came off the bench at Bramall Lane to make his first senior appearance since Boxing Day after recovering from a thigh injury, but striker Rudy Gestede (ankle) is out for the remainder of the season.
Bristol City captain Bailey Wright is being assessed ahead of the trip to the Riverside Stadium after sustaining an injury in training. Wright suffered a thigh strain on Monday which caused him to miss the following night's 3-1 victory over Birmingham, and his condition is being monitored.
Republic of Ireland midfielder Callum O'Dowda made his first start since November in midweek after working his way back from an ankle injury and lasted 69 minutes. Manager Lee Johnson otherwise has a clean bill of health as he attempts to guide the club back into the play-off places.
Middlesbrough have lost their last five league matches against the Robins, last avoiding defeat in March 2012.
Bristol City have never lost against Middlesbrough at the Riverside in all competitions (W3 D3) with their last defeat coming at Ayresome Park in March 1995.
In fact, Bristol City are the only team Middlesbrough have played more than once at Riverside without ever winning against and one of just four overall (along with Plymouth Argyle, Sporting Lisbon and Stuttgart).
Tony Pulis last faced Bristol City in January 2016, winning an FA Cup third round replay when he was manager of West Brom.
The Robins lost only one of their first 12 away matches in all competitions this season (W7 D4) - in their subsequent 12, they have won none, drawn five and lost seven.
Middlesbrough have won five of their last six league matches at the Riverside (L1), since a run of three games without a home victory and a goal (D1 L2).
It feels like every game in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend has a lot riding on it, and this game is no different! Both of these sides have spent a decent portion of the season in the top six but now find themselves on the outside looking in.
It's not quite last-chance saloon time for either, but a draw doesn't particularly help either's cause. So for that reason I think the points will be shared!
David Prutton predicts: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
