Victor Valdes is set to miss Middlesbrough's Tees-Wear derby clash with Sunderland on Wednesday.

The Spaniard has been absent since the goalless draw at home to Burnley due to a rib injury, with Brad Guzan expected to deputise once again.

The Premier League's bottom two clubs need urgent impetus in their bid to avoid relegation and the local derby should be a feisty affair with much more than just local pride at stake.

Sunderland last collected three points on February 4, a 4-0 win at Crystal Palace, and are 12 points off 17th-place Hull with two games in hand.

Middlesbrough have not won a Premier League game in 2017, having collected two points from an available 24 in their last eight league matches.

Team news

Valdes misses out with a rib injury for Boro, while Grant Leadbitter and Marten de Roon have trained and could feature.

Lee Cattermole returns for Sunderland with David Moyes commenting his side "have missed his leadership" on the pitch.

Duncan Watmore may require a second knee operation after suffering discomfort on returning to light training after five months out.

Sebastian Larsson is suspended but Billy Jones should be fit to return.

Opta facts

Middlesbrough are winless in their last three Premier League encounters against Sunderland at the Riverside (D2 L1), last facing off in the top-flight in January 2009 (1-1 draw).

Since that January 2009 fixture, they have only met at the Riverside in the FA Cup fourth round in February 2012, with the Black Cats winning 2-1 thanks to an extra-time winner from Stephane Sessegnon.

Middlesbrough have won just one of their last 10 North East derbies in the Premier League (W1 D6 L3), though that win came against Sunderland in their most recent encounter.

On the day of this game, Sunderland will have spent 236 days in the relegation zone this season. The record for a single season is held by Sheffield Wednesday in 1999-00 (278 days) and if Sunderland remain in the bottom three between now and the end of the season they can only reach 261 days in 2016-17.

There have been 10 occasions of the side in 19th place playing the bottom of the league side in a Premier League match since the start of 2012-13 and only one of those games have been won by the team that's bottom of the league (L5 D4), though that was Sunderland in April 2014 against Cardiff, a 4-0 win.

These two clubs are the lowest scoring teams in the 2016-17 Premier League season so far: Middlesbrough (23 goals) and Sunderland (26 goals).

Middlesbrough have played out seven 0-0 draws in the Premier League so far this season - the record in a single PL campaign is nine (Sheffield United in 1993/94, Leeds in 1996/97 and Sunderland in 2014/15).

Indeed, the Riverside Stadium has seen fewer goals than any other Premier League ground this season (32 - scored 13, conceded 19).

Jermain Defoe's Premier League goal drought now stands at eight games and 765 minutes, since he netted twice in the 45th minute at Crystal Palace.

David Moyes' side have been trailing for 18 hours and 58 minutes this season - longer than any other Premier League side.

Merson's prediction

This is big football match for these two teams. I've played up there and featured in this game before and it's a big one. They will both be desperate to win this game.

I watched Middlesbrough the other day and they were all over the place. Sunderland will have to have a go, as will Middlesbrough, so I think this will be an excellent game.

I have to go with a 2-2 draw and if it turns out that way, it's a result that's no good for either side.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2

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Betting

Middlesbrough are Sky Bet's 6/5 favourites for the bottom-of-the-table battle, with a Sunderland win and the draw both priced at 23/10.

Both sides are now 100/1 to avoid relegation, with the Black Cats 2/7 to finish bottom of the table. Alvaro Negredo heads the first goalscorer betting at 4/1, followed by Defoe at 5/1, with the strike duo 11/2 to both find the net.