Middlesbrough vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance22,427.
Friday 12 April 2019 15:24, UK
Middlesbrough will have to continue to cope without influential defender George Friend as they look to boost their Championship play-off push.
Friend missed the midweek win over Bolton with a groin injury and has now been told he will have to sit out the remainder of the season.
Boss Tony Pulis is likely to stick with the same side that snapped a six-game losing streak with their midweek win over Bolton. Stewart Downing is an option to replace Mohamed Besic at left-back, while Lewis Wing remains sidelined after a hernia operation.
Hull boss Nigel Adkins could name an unchanged side for the Tigers' crucial clash. The visitors can leapfrog their opponents with a victory and Adkins does not expect any new absentees as the fight for a top-six place heats up.
Defenders Reece Burke and Jordy De Wijs are both expected to shrug off minor back injuries they sustained in the midweek win over Wigan. Left-back Stephen Kingsley is not expected to be risked following his recent groin injury while centre-back Angus MacDonald (calf) is the only long-term absentee.
Middlesbrough have won 18 of their last 20 home league matches against Hull (W18 D1 L1); their only defeat in this run was back in March 1986.
In all competitions, Hull's most recent victory at the Riverside Stadium against Middlesbrough was in the FA Cup in January 2014 - a 2-0 third round victory.
Three of Ashley Fletcher's five Championship goals for Middlesbrough this season have been assisted by Mo Besic, with all five goals scored in the first half.
Since the start of November, only Norwich City and Leeds United (17) have won more Championship matches than Hull City (14).
Middlesbrough haven't lost five consecutive home league matches since March 1996 under Bryan Robson.
Hull manager Nigel Adkins has lost four of his five away league visits to Middlesbrough, winning the other in August 2014 as Reading manager.
Even after such a poor run Middlesbrough were expected to brush aside Bolton on Tuesday night, but it was vital for them to get back to winning ways in any way, shape or form.
Hull still have an outside shot of the play-offs after coming back to win on Wednesday against Wigan. Even if they don't reach the top six, it's been a great season for a side who were expected to battle relegation. I fancy the Tigers to nick this one.
David Prutton predicts: 0-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
