Middlesbrough aims to revive their automatic promotion chances against Watford after a slump in form. They currently sit in fifth place, 13 points behind champions Coventry.
Key points
Middlesbrough is in fifth place in the league.
They are 13 points behind champions Coventry.
Middlesbrough has won only two of their last nine matches.
Hayden Hackney was voted league player of the year.
They aim to improve their form against Watford.
Mentioned in this story
Hayden Hackney
MiddlesbroughWatfordCoventry
Preview: Boro hope to keep automatic promotion hopes alive against mid-table Watford
Preview: Boro hope to keep automatic promotion hopes alive against mid-table Watford
For a long period of time this season the top two looked almost certain to be Coventry and Middlesbrough, two sides who have become the proverbial ‘nearlymen’ in the second tier in recent years. However, as Coventry celebrated confirming their promotion to the Premier League for the first time in over 25 years, Middlesbrough fell to fifth place and looked far away from that second place spot they had been accustomed to over the first five months of the season.
Just two wins in nine have pushed Kim Hellberg’s men below the chasing pack in Millwall and Ipswich and now they lie below a rampant Southampton side. Their downturn in form could have been pointed to their 3-1 defeat to Coventry back in Feb where the Teesiders could have gone level with the Sky Blues should they have won that game. Boro now sit 13 points behind Coventry, who were crowned champions on Tuesday night.
There has been more positive news on Teeside however, homegrown talent Hayden Hackney was this week voted the leagues player of the year whilst a victory in midweek over Sheffield Wednesday seemed to stop the rot of just two points from their last five games. They will be hoping to turn their form around in time for the play-offs as they host Watford on Saturday afternoon.
Watford have had a typically tumultuous season and now find themselves onto their third manager of the season, in Ed Still, who has steadied the ship, yet three defeats on the bounce has threatened to end the Hornets season with a complete whimper. A 3-0 hammering at the hands of West Brom in midweek confirmed the Baggies safety but further drove home Watfords mediocrity that has been setting in since their relegation from the Premier League in 2022.
The Hornets have not finished in the top 10 of the second tier since their relegation which has caused concern from fans especially considering the constant managerial merry-go-round that seems to plague the side every season. Whilst a win at the Riverside could go a long way to moulding the play-off picture and could bring the Hornets up to 11th in the table, any late charge for the play-offs was killed off by their defeat to West Brom in the week and they sit far clear of any threats of relegation.
Q&A
What is Middlesbrough's current position in the league?
Middlesbrough is currently in fifth place in the league.
How many points behind Coventry is Middlesbrough?
Middlesbrough is 13 points behind Coventry, who have been crowned champions.
What recent performance has affected Middlesbrough's promotion hopes?
Middlesbrough's promotion hopes have been affected by just two wins in their last nine matches.
Who was voted the league's player of the year from Middlesbrough?
Hayden Hackney was voted the league's player of the year from Middlesbrough.
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Middlesbrough are all but ready to welcome back Morgan Whittaker after the Englishman has missed months with injury, although he wasn’t present for the sides clash with Sheffield Wednesday, there’s an expectation that he will be in the squad. One player who will be missing is Hackney, the midfielder has been crucial for Boro this season and his presence has been hugely missed. Their downturn in form can be pinpointed specifically to Hackney’s absence. Elsewhere, Alfie Jones and Leo Castledine are both still missing due to a muscle and knee injury respectively that will keep them out for this game at the very least.
Watford have had a slew of injuries this season both due to the relentless nature of the EFL calendar and their relatively small squad, midfielder Rocco Vata will be missing due to a hamstring injury and isn’t expected to feature for the rest of the season. Elsewhere, backup goalkeeper Stephan Hfuni is expected to return after being side-lined with an ankle injury. Defender Hector Kyprianou has a broken hand and is still out of first team action alongside Pierre Dwomah who is still recovering from a thigh issue leaving Watford even lighter in the middle of the park.
Boro’s hunt for automatic promotion will continue at 12:30pm (UK time) on Saturday April 25th.