Middlesbrough vs Nottingham Forest. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance18,884.
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Monday; Kick-off 7.45pm
Monday 2 March 2020 22:16, UK
Middlesbrough face Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship on Monday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate has injury concerns over Ashley Fletcher and George Friend ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest. Both players suffered hamstring injuries against Leeds and will face late fitness tests.
Daniel Ayala and Dael fry are still a couple of weeks away from full fitness for Boro, who are above the relegation zone only on goal difference. Patrick Roberts remains sidelined with a hamstring complaint, while Dutch defender Anfernee Dijksteel will feature for the U23s against Newcastle as he recovers from a knee injury.
Promotion-chasing Forest are again likely to be without Nuno Da Costa, who has an adductor injury. Sammy Ameobi has been struggling with a hip problem and has been taking painkillers to deal with pain to allow him to play.
Lewis Grabban has had a recent knee complaint but started the win over Cardiff. Samba Sow missed the match against Cardiff because of a knee injury and is unlikely to feature, while Tendayi Darikwa is a long-term absentee.
Having looked to be edging towards safety around Christmas, Middlesbrough are hovering just above the Championship relegation zone at present and have lost their last three games in succession, all by a 1-0 scoreline.
Meanwhile, automatic promotion chasing Forest won 1-0 against Cardiff on Tuesday, following draws against West Brom and QPR and have lost just one of their last five games.
Middlesbrough's Jonathan Woodgate: "Forest have done well. From a solid base we played well there, drew 1-1. They deserved to be there or thereabouts, challenging. They have excellent players, good team.
"Everything is possible, I don't envisage us going down at the minute, we have 11 games, big games, I don't see going down, I see us getting victories."
Nottingham Forest's Sabri Lamouchi: "We controlled the game in Cardiff but I am not sure we will control the game at Middlesbrough. They are fighting to stay in the league and they disturbed Leeds a lot, and for me they deserved to score at least one goal.
"It is going to be a very tough game, one more, and they will play with personality, we need to play with more personality, they will play with character, we need to play with more character. We need to be ready and increase the level if we can, because Monday night, on the TV against Middlesbrough who need points. When you need points, you are very determined."
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Middlesbrough have lost four of their last six Championship games against Nottingham Forest (W1 D1).
Nottingham Forest are looking to win consecutive away league games against Middlesbrough for the first time since February 1993.
Since a run of four consecutive wins, Middlesbrough are winless in nine Championship games (D4 L5), with their five defeats in this run all coming by a one-goal margin.
Nottingham Forest have won eight away league games this season - they haven't won nine in a season since 2007-08, when they won nine on their way to promotion from League One.
Only Hull City (5) have won fewer Championship points in 2020 than Middlesbrough (7).
Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban is without a goal in six Championship games, his worst run since a seven-game streak between April and August 2019. Grabban has one goal in 11 Championship appearances against Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough put in a decent shift against Leeds in midweek, but it still wasn't quite enough. They look a bit iffy at the back and don't look like they can score, either.
Nottingham Forest got a big win at Cardiff in midweek, but need a real string of results if they are to reel in Leeds or West Brom. They should have enough to overcome Boro.
David Prutton predicts: 1-2 (10/1 with Sky Bet)