MY ACCOUNT
– Boro have failed to win four of their last five Championship games
– Norwich have avoided defeat in seven of eight away league games under Wagner
– Recommended Bet: Back Tie or Norwich
Middlesbrough go into Friday’s crunch Championship promotion clash with Norwich looking to halt a three-game winless run and secure the points that might eventually confirm a play-off spot.
Boro are now eight points adrift of second-placed Sheffield United, so their automatic promotion hopes are almost gone, but they still hold a six-point advantage over Preston, the team that sits seventh and just outside the play-off places.
One place and one point further back are Norwich, whose inconsistent form continued over Easter when they won 2-0 at promotion-chasing Blackburn before dropping two points at home to relegation-threatened Rotherham.
But David Wagner’s side will have seen plenty to encourage them from Boro’s recent sticky patch, which continued when Michael Carrick’s men could only draw 2-2 at Bristol City on Easter Monday.
Team news
Carrick is likely to restore Cameron Archer to his starting line-up alongside Chuba Akpom and test Norwich’s defence with a pacy, two-pronged strikeforce, but Dael Fry will need to be assessed after he missed Monday’s match due to a knock.
As for Norwich, Wagner could shake up his strikeforce too after seeing Teemu Pukki draw another blank on Monday and his spot could go to Adam Idah or Josh Sargent.
Grant Hanley suffered a season-ending Achilles injury at Blackburn, joining felloe defender Ben Gibson on the sidelines, while Kenny McLean (knee) and Marcelino Nunez (ankle) remain out.
The stats
Middlesbrough have only won one of their last five home games against Norwich, who have won four, drawn three and lost only one of their eight away Championship matches under Wagner.
The Canaries have been solid in defence, despite the recent spate of injuries to central defenders, conceding just three times in 540 minutes of second-tier football.
Boro have been scoring goals – managing to score in 12 of their last 13 games – but they have sprung a few leaks at the back with eight goals shipped across their last three games.
Prediction
Both teams are under pressure with time running out to secure their spots in the play-offs. Boro will be glad to be back at the Riverside Stadium where they have failed to win only two of their last 10 games, but their overall form has taken a big hit in the last month.
The Canaries have somehow remained in the top-six race, despite winning just one of their last six matches, but they are unbeaten in five away games and picked up good results from some tough grounds, like The Den.
Their recent win at Blackburn suggests they have the formula to upset a higher-placed rival in a nervy end-of-season clash.
Back Norwich Win or Tie at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet.
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