Lukas Jutkiewicz is backing Middlesbrough to use their red hot form on the road to make up ground on the Championship leaders.
Former Coventry man insists away form is the key to promotion
Lukas Jutkiewicz is backing Middlesbrough to use their red hot form on the road to make up ground on the Championship leaders.
Tony Mowbray's side have dropped 20 points at the Riverside compared to only 13 away with no one in the division having drawn more home games.
And the ability to finish teams off at their ground has seen them drop slightly off the pace at the top of the table.
But Jutkiewicz believes they can use that to their advantage with away days to fellow promotion chasers Birmingham on Saturday then West Ham next week.
Tough games
"They are tough games against teams right up there near us in the table and we know it is important to pick up points," said the £1.6m January signing from Coventry in the
Evening Gazette.
"But generally we've done well away from home so there's no reason why we cannot go to these places and pick up points.
"And both have maybe had the same problem we have had and have struggled a bit at home. Maybe we can go there and take advantage.
"Like us, those teams have found that when teams come to their place looking to sit deep and keep it tight then it can be very difficult to break them down.
"A lot of teams in this division make it difficult for you and do it well. Maybe that is why we, and a couple of other teams, have found it hard to get the results at home.
Riverside
"It is not about playing at the Riverside, there is nothing about the atmosphere or the crowd here that stops us playing. It is about the mentality of the opposition.
"Away from home the opposition are more inclined to press forward so you can wait for the game to come to you and space to open to exploit on the counter, that's what we've found.
"We think we can go to both Birmingham and West Ham and do that too. We believe we can go there and get points."
