Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts are languishing in 21st place heading into the weekend, but Blackburn are only outside of the playoff places on goal difference.

Match preview

Having been billed as one of the favourites to challenge for promotion to the Premier League this season, Middlesbrough's start to the campaign has been nothing short of incredibly disappointing.

Even so, the club's decision to sack Chris Wilder last week came as a huge surprise to many people, especially after the former Sheffield Unied boss sparked a huge upturn in form last season after he was appointed in November 2021.

Indeed, at one point the Teesiders looked like gatecrashing the playoff places - helped by winning eight successive league games at the Riverside Stadium between December and March - but a lack of firepower in attack ultimately contributed to them falling short.

Wilder clearly felt that this shortcoming in the squad was not addressed to the level that he expected during the summer transfer window, with owner Steve Gibson tightening the purse strings in recent seasons, particularly after the club's parachute payments ran empty following their relegation from the Premier League in 2017.

Gibson is yet to choose Wilder's successor ahead of Saturday's test against Blackburn, but if they are to finish inside the top six as many expected them to this season, they need to put a strong run of form together sooner rather than later, with their choice of manager potentially fundamental in determining whether that happens.

In contrast, many expected Blackburn to struggle this season after replacing Tony Mowbray with Jon Dahl Tomasson in their managerial dugout this summer, especially having seen several experienced players leave the club during the summer.

However, Rovers made a blistering start to life under the former Denmark international, winning their first three games of the season to sit top of the Championship in the early weeks of the campaign.

Things have inevitably plateaued since, with Tomasson's side only taking 12 points from their last 11 matches to fall outside of the top six after a 1-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic on Tuesday.

Their general inconsistency is best illustrated by the fact that they are the only team in the division yet to draw a single league match, having won and lost exactly half of their matches. Indeed, they head to Middlesbrough off the back of an incredibly topsy-turvy sequence of results: loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss.

Those who are a slave to numbers may therefore suggest that they are due a win in the North-East on Saturday, but Blackburn could find it tough despite their forthcoming opponents' lack of form, with many of Middlesbrough's players likely to be aware of whoever their new manager proves to be will be watching on from afar.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

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Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

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Team News

Middlesbrough could be without goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who is on loan from Manchester City for the season, due to his ongoing knee issue flaring up again. If so, Liam Roberts is likely to be given the nod ahead of Luke Daniels between the posts, but Steffen will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness given his importance.

Otherwise, caretaker boss Leo Percovich has no injury or suspension concerns, with Ryan Giles likely to be restored at left wing-back ahead of Marc Bola having only been used from the bench during last weekend's 2-0 defeat to Millwall.

Blackburn, meanwhile, will travel without Sam Barnes due to a knee injury, but otherwise they appear to have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Sam Gallagher should return to the starting XI in place of George Hirst after only being used from the bench during the defeat to Wigan on Tuesday, while Callum Brittain could be handed a start at right wing-back to freshen things up.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Dijksteel, Fry, Clarke; Jones, Crooks, Howson, McGree, Giles; Akpom, Muniz

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Kaminski; Hyam, Ayala, Wharton; Britain, Morton, Travis, Pickering; Szmodics; Brereton, Gallagher

We say: Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

We can envisage a tight game between these teams, with neither heading into the encounter in good form at all despite Blackburn's superior position in the table.

Both sides generally line-up in 3-5-2 formations, which could make it difficult to find space in between the lines for the more talented players on the pitch, potentially favouring Middlesbrough in front of their home support.

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