MX23RW : Friday, November 22 06:06:41| >> :120:29932:29932:
[monks data]
Burnley logo
Championship
Apr 12, 2014 at 3.07pm UK
 
Middlesbrough logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Burnley vs. Middlesbrough

Sports Mole previews the Championship clash between Burnley and Middlesbrough at Turf Moor, where Burnley could secure their promotion with victory.

Burnley could see their promotion to the Premier League confirmed this weekend should they beat Middlesbrough at Turf Moor and other results go their way.

The second-placed Clarets will complete their unfancied return to the top flight if they better Derby County's result against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Sean Dyche's men were tipped to feature prominently at the other end of the table before the start of the season and have shocked many in the Championship with their staying power.

The lethal strike partnership of Danny Ings and Sam Vokes, who have scored 40 league goals between them, has played a huge part in their success but has been broken up recently due to injuries.

Wales international Vokes is out for the rest of the campaign after suffering cruciate knee ligament damage, while Ings had missed five matches before making his return to the side in midweek.

January signing Ashley Barnes was forced to wait patiently for his chance while Burnley's first-choice front pairing were fit and firing, but is now also contributing crucial goals to their promotion push.

He netted the decisive strike in the 1-0 win over Barnsley on Tuesday and will again partner Championship Player of the Year Ings in Lancashire in what could be an unchanged Burnley starting XI.

The division's most prolific assist maker, Kieran Tripper, may be recalled at right-back at the expense of Chris Baird, having not been risked at Oakwell due to recent injury troubles.

Middlesbrough will be forced into making alterations, though, with centre-backs Kenneth Omeruo and Ben Gibson both suspended after being sent off in the dramatic midweek victory over Birmingham City.

The Teesiders had to play with nine men for the final five minutes of their match at the Riverside Stadium, but a late strike from Lee Tomlin saw them secure their third win in as many games.

This form has given Aitor Karanka's sides the slimmest of hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, with sixth place an unlikely, but retrievable eight points away from them with five games remaining.

The Spaniard may be forced to deploy Chelsea loanee Nathaniel Chalobah, mostly used as a midfielder, in defence, and will not have Mustapha Carayol available as the winger remains injured.

George Friend has joined him on the treatment table and may not feature again this term, meaning that untried youngsters Mark Kitching or David Atkinson could be included in a makeshift back line.

Recent form

Burnley: WDLWWW

Boro: WWWDLD

Possible starting lineups

Burnley: Heaton; Tripper, Shackell, Duff, Mee; Kightly, Arfield, Marney, Jones; Ings; Barnes

Boro: Konstantopoulos; Varga, Woodgate, Chalobah, Atkinson; Butterfield, Whitehead; Leadbitter, Tomlin, Adomah; Graham

Sports Mole says: 2-0


ID:149144: cacheID:149144:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5889:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Middlesbrough's Lukas Jutkiewicz in action against Accrington Stanley during their League Cup first round match on August 6, 2013
Read Next:
Nine-man Boro edge out Birmingham
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!