Blackburn v Middlesbrough predictions: Boro can push into promotion picture

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough in the Championship on Monday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 7.45pm Monday

Best bet

Middlesbrough
1pt 15-8 general

Team news

Blackburn
Ben Brereton Diaz is away on international duty, while Tyrhys Dolan, Bradley Dack, Harry Pickering, Ian Poveda-Ocampo and Dilan Markanday will miss out through injury. Ryan Myambe is back from suspension and Lewis Travis is back from illness.

Middlesbrough
New signing Riley McGree and James Lea Siliki are on international duty while Marcus Browne and Marc Bola are out.

Match preview

Chris Wilder has turned Middlesbrough’s season around since taking over in November and the Teessiders can continue their promotion charge with a win in this heavyweight clash with fellow highflyers Blackburn.

Boro have won seven of their last eight games in all competitions and another victory here would see them just four points off the second automatic promotion spot.

Blackburn experienced a similar run in the period leading up to Christmas but have won just one of their last four games, including a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the hands of Hull in midweek.

Ben Brereton Diaz, who would be a shoo-in for Championship top scorer were it not for the efforts of Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic, has scored nearly half of Rovers’ 44 goals this season but misses his encounter, on international duty with Chile.

Sam Gallagher and youngster Reda Khadra will have to step up to prove that this side are not just a one-man band.

An out-and-out goalscorer is one area where Middlesbrough have struggled this season, with their top scorers Matt Crooks and Andraz Sporar on six apiece.

Wilder has snapped up two highly-rated Premier League youngsters on loan in the shape of Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun and Brighton’s Aaron Connolly and they may prove to be the last piece in the puzzle.

The back three of Dael Fry, Paddy McNair and Anfernee Dijksteel are as good as any in the second tier and have been instrumental in the side’s strong defensive record recently, conceding just three in their last seven league games.

Boro’s primary creative force, Isaiah Jones, has also been in fine form and has seven assists this season.

Off-the-field issues, namely the club suing Derby, have not distracted from the matters on the pitch and Wilder’s side have shown plenty of grit and determination, netting injury time winners in their last three games.

Former Boro player, captain and manager Tony Mowbray will be in the opposite dugout and the Blackburn boss will be ruing the decision to move this game for television coverage, meaning star man Brereton Diaz is unavailable.

With Bournemouth’s recent downturn in form, the race for automatic promotion is well and truly on and Middlesbrough can lay down a marker with a victory at Ewood Park.

Boro have had many false dawns in recent years but with Wilder at the helm, fans can once again start dreaming of a return to the Premier League.

Key stat

Middlesbrough have won seven of their last eight games in all competitions

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