Yet to win in 2013, Middlesbrough have lost five games in a row and next face Leeds United in the Championship on Tuesday evening.

Despite the winless start to the calendar year, Boro are still in the playoff places but their chance of automatic promotion seems a long way off now.

The last two defeats will have hurt most. Last weekend they were battered 4-0 by an Ipswich side who had also gone winless in January before yesterday they threw away a lead at home to another struggling side in Barnsley.

Next up is Leeds and Neil Warnock's side are now five points behind Boro, who occupy the last playoff spot after Saturday's draw at Wolves.

Boro manager Tony Mowbray could welcome back the strike duo of Ishmael Miller and Scott McDonald but the pair are struggling with ankle and back problems respectively.

Warnock has no new injury worries and may consider bringing back El Hadji Diouf and Ross Barkley into midfield after the pair dropped to the bench at Wolves.

The reverse of this fixture was just before Christmas and it was Leeds who came out on top 2-1 at Elland Road.

Recent form

Boro: WLLLLL

Leeds: LWLWLD

Possible starting lineups

Boro: Steele; Williams, Hines, Bikey, Friend; Leadbitter, Bailey, McEachran, Ledesma; Jutkiewicz, Carayol

Leeds: Kenny; Byram, Peltier, Lees, Warnock; Diouf, Brown, Barkley, Varney; Morison, McCormack

Sports Mole says: 2-2

Previews by email