Preview: Bristol City vs. Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

The Robins came from behind to prevail against Stoke City last time out, while Michael Carrick's men went down to Premier League-bound Burnley.

Match preview

Four months on from being beaten 2-1 by Stoke after going a goal to the good, Bristol City fed the Potters a dose of their own medicine with a near-identical triumph at the bet365 Stadium on Friday.

Nick Powell's strike sent Stoke into the half-time interval with a one-goal lead to protect, but Zak Vyner levelled for Nigel Pearson's side with a looping header 18 minutes from time before Anis Mehmeti came off the bench to complete the turnaround late on.

Mehmeti had only been touching the turf for four minutes before firing home the decisive goal, allowing Pearson to consign an "awful" first 45 minutes to the history books as Bristol City snapped a three-game winless run in the second tier.

Sitting pretty in 13th place in the table, there is little on the line for the Robins heading into the final six fixtures of the season, with Pearson's side 11 points clear of the dreaded dotted line and a further seven below the playoff positions.

Powell's effort for Stoke made it four games without a clean sheet for Bristol City in the second tier, but the hosts remain unbeaten in seven Championship matches at Ashton Gate since the turn of the year - scoring in every single one of those contests.

Despite the best efforts of the consistently clinical Chuba Akpom and co, Middlesbrough could not spoil the Burnley promotion parade on Friday night, as the Clarets made sure of an immediate return to the Premier League at the Riverside Stadium.

Strikes from Ashley Barnes and Connor Roberts either side of an Akpom penalty - his 26th goal of the season - guaranteed Vincent Kompany's side a place in the top tier for the 2023-24 season, while also denting Boro's hopes of joining them in the automatic promotion spots.

Back-to-back defeats to Huddersfield Town and Burnley have left Michael Carrick's side nine points adrift of second-placed Sheffield United - who have a game in hand - but the Riverside club remain comfortably entrenched in the playoff spots in fourth position.

While Boro should be in no real danger of losing their grip on a top-six berth, back-to-back losses for the first time since October may offer the likes of Norwich City and Preston North End a glimmer of hope, and Carrick's side have now gone 10 away games without keeping a clean sheet in the Championship.

Akpom was unsurprisingly the hero when Middlesbrough came from a goal down to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw with Bristol City in November, but the visitors have just two wins from their last eight against the Robins, who prevailed 2-1 at Ashton Gate during the 2021-22 campaign.

Bristol City Championship form:

D

W

L

L

D

W

Middlesbrough Championship form:

W

W

D

W

L

L

Team News

Bristol City's win over Stoke came at quite the cost, as Omar Taylor-Clarke was brought off after just 21 minutes - the severity of his problem is still unclear - while Sam Bell was a late enforced withdrawal with cramp too.

Taylor-Clarke joins a well-occupied medical bay at Ashton Gate, with Rob Atkinson (hamstring), Joe Williams and Ayman Benarous (both ACL) all out for the season, while Alex Scott (knee), Kal Naismith (calf) and Tomas Kalas (groin) are back in training but were not given the green light for the Stoke fixture.

Mark Sykes will also serve the third of a four-game ban for violent conduct, and the possible absence of Taylor-Clarke could lead to a recall for veteran Andy King in the centre of the park.

In contrast, the Middlesbrough doctors are only looking after one player in the shape of Matt Clarke, who may not recover from a back injury until the final couple of games of the season.

With six goals shipped in their last two games, Carrick may consider bringing Dael Fry back into the rearguard, while Hayden Hackney's spot in the engine room may come under threat from Matt Crooks.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Pring, Dasilva; King, James; Weimann, Conway, Bell; Wells

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Smith, McNair, Fry, Giles; Ramsey, Howson, Crooks, McGree; Akpom, Archer

We say: Bristol City 1-2 Middlesbrough

Despite losing their defensive acumen in recent matches, Middlesbrough never need any lessons in breaking down the opposition, and an injury-hit Bristol City side should strap in for a rough ride against the vengeful Boro.

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