Blackburn Rovers play host to Middlesbrough on Thursday evening requiring a win to keep as close as possible to the runaway top two in the Championship standings.

Meanwhile, 10th-placed Middlesbrough can move to within three points of their opponents if they can add another win to their recent collection.

Match preview

Of all the managerial changes in the Championship during the first half of the season, the appointment of Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough has undoubtedly been the one which has made the most difference.

As many as 16 points have been collected from eight matches since the arrival of the former Manchester United and England midfielder, his fifth win coming by a 4-1 scoreline over Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day.

Chuba Akpom has been sensational under Carrick's guidance, the well-travelled forward's hat-trick in that game taking him to eight strikes from as many appearances.

With any thoughts about relegation now a thing of the past, Middlesbrough can attack trying to achieve a playoff spot, and it is currently hard to back against them even though they sit in 10th place.

The one negative of Carrick's reign is a lack of clean sheets, with just one shutout coming at Blackpool during the early stages of his reign.

At one stage this season, Blackburn were at the top of the table when Middlesbrough were flirting with the bottom three, but such is the dynamic of the Championship that the situation has now changed.

Middlesbrough will now move to within touching distance of their third-placed opponents with victory at Ewood Park, a consequence of Rovers losing for the 11th time in 24 league games on Boxing Day.

Just as it appeared that Blackburn would finally record their first draw in the second tier during 2022-23, Ellis Simms netted an added-time winner for the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light.

Helped by defeats for Watford and Norwich City, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have remained in third spot, but there is now an eight-point gap to the automatic promotion places.

Tomasson will hope to call upon at least some of the trio of Sammie Szmodics, Tyrhys Dolan and Jack Vale after they all missed Blackburn's game at Sunderland.

Having only been used as a substitute in that fixture, Lewis Travis is in line to return to the Rovers midfield.

Middlesbrough will likely be forced into one alteration after Jonny Howson suffered a head injury during the Wigan game, resulting in his half-time withdrawal.

Alex Mowatt should return in central midfield, and Carrick may decide to recall Riley McGree after handing the playmaker a rest from the starting lineup last time out.

The remainder of the side should stay the same, with either Duncan Watmore or Marcus Forss potentially dropping out for McGree.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Rankin-Costello, Ayala, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, Morton, Buckley; Hedges, Gallagher, Brereton Diaz

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Smith, Fry, Lenihan, Giles; Mowatt, Hackney; Jones, Akpom, McGree; Forss

We say: Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Middlesbrough

Given Blackburn's continued inconsistency, it is impossible to predict which performance that they will deliver in any particular game. Nevertheless, Middlesbrough are playing to such a high standard under Carrick that we feel that they will edge this contest, potentially by the odd goal in three.

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