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Mar 7, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
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Gardner (34'), Blackstock (65')
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Preview: Nottingham Forest vs. Middlesbrough

:Headline: Preview: Nottingham Forest vs. Middlesbrough: ID:209452: from db_amp
Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship match at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest host league leaders Middlesbrough.

With 11 games of the Championship season to go, Middlesbrough are the new league leaders and next travel to face Dougie Freedman's improved Nottingham Forest.

Aitor Karanka's Boro beat Millwall 3-0 on Tuesday to move one point clear at the summit as nearest rivals Derby County surprisingly went down 2-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion.

By keeping their 16th clean sheet of the season, Boro improved their league-best defensive record and they now have conceded just 24 goals in 35 games - 10 fewer than the next-best backline.

Karanka can perhaps view Boro's position at the top as rather fortunate considering that they have won just two of their last five in the league, with others like Derby, Bournemouth and Ipswich Town also faltering of late.

There are no new injury concerns for Karanka, but Daniel Ayala is nearing a return to full fitness. The Spanish defender is hoping to return for the crucial upcoming stretch against Ipswich, Derby and Bournemouth, but won't feature against Forest.

The hosts, meanwhile, enter the match after suffering their first defeat under the management of Dougie Freedman.

Having won five of his first six games in charge and losing none to earn a February Manager of the Month nomination, Freedman's side got off to a sticky start in March by suffering a 2-1 defeat at another improving outfit, Charlton Athletic.

Forest are ninth in the table and defeat at The Valley saw their outside chances of reaching the playoffs take a hit as now 11 points separate them from the top six.

In Henri Lansbury, they have one of the league's most in-form players and his five goals in five consecutive games in February have seen him put up for the division's Player of the Month.

The former Arsenal man has also scored in each of his last three games at the City Ground.

Boro are unbeaten in six games against Forest, winning the reverse 3-0 at the Riverside on Boxing Day.

Forest:

Recent form: WDWWWL

Possible starting lineup: Darlow; Lichaj, Lascelles, Collins, Fox; Burke, Gardner, Osborn, Lansbury, Antonio; Fryatt

Boro:

Form in Championship: WDLWLW
Form in all competitions: LDLWLW

Possible starting lineup: Konstantopoulos; Fredericks, Kalas, Gibson, Friend; Bamford, Leadbitter, Clayton, Adomah; Tomlin; Kike

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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2Liverpool97111751222
3Arsenal95311710718
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5Chelsea95221911817
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton94411612416
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest9441117416
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs94141810813
9Brentford94141818013
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11Bournemouth93331111012
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15Leicester CityLeicester92341317-49
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18Ipswich TownIpswich9045920-114
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