Middlesbrough v Millwall preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 5.15pm on Saturday
Saturday 28 April 2018 16:37, UK
Striker Patrick Bamford will return to the Middlesbrough squad as the Teessiders attempt to clinch a place in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs at home to Millwall.
Bamford sat out last Saturday's 2-1 win at Derby as a precaution after suffering a head injury during the victory over Bristol City seven days earlier, but is expected to be available for the game at the Riverside Stadium.
However, he may have to fight to win back his place in the team with £15million signing Britt Assombalonga, who deputised last weekend, having scored what proved to be the winner at Pride Park. Manager Tony Pulis otherwise has no fresh selection problems with striker Rudy Gestede his only absentee following ankle surgery.
Millwall will be without veteran striker Tim Cahill after he admitted a Football Association violent conduct charge and accepted a three-match ban. The 38-year-old was charged on video evidence with elbowing Ryan Fredericks during last Friday night's 3-0 home defeat by Fulham.
Central defender Byron Webster continues to work his way back from a knee injury, while midfielder Ben Thompson is close to a return after an ankle problem. The defeat by Fulham was the Lions' first in 18 league games and left them in seventh place, two points adrift of a play-off berth with two games to play.
Opta stats
Middlesbrough's only win in their last five home league meetings with Millwall (D1 L3) was in their last match at the Riverside, a 3-0 win in March 2015.
The Lions are without a clean sheet in their last 10 league matches against Middlesbrough, last keeping one in a 1-0 win in November 2010.
Boro have won six of their last seven league games at home (L1), including each of the last two.
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Millwall are unbeaten in their last nine away league matches (W7 D2) - if the Lions avoid defeat, they will equal their club record of 10 consecutive league games unbeaten on the road set in both 1921/22 and 1988/89.
Tony Pulis hasn't faced Millwall since January 2007, a 2-0 win for Stoke in the FA Cup third round.
The last time Pulis lost to Millwall - a 3-1 defeat as Stoke manager in April 2003 - current Lions boss Neil Harris scored the opening goal.
Prutton's prediction
How will Millwall react to that defeat against Fulham? The Lions hadn't been beaten in a long time and they started that game very well, but eventually succumbed to the quality of their opposition in the second half.
Middlesbrough have already got one foot in the play-offs but they'll want to get the job done at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday evening. I think it will be a tight game, but I'm backing Boro here.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 with Daniel Ayala to score first (60/1 with Sky Bet)
