Southampton faces Middlesbrough in the second leg of the Championship play-off semi-finals after a goalless first leg. The match is overshadowed by accusations of spying involving Southampton's coaching staff.
Southampton vs Middlesbrough: Play-off semi-final preview and team news
Southampton host Middlesbrough in the second leg of the Championship play-off semi-finals tonight.
The match is perfectly poised after the first leg ended in a goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium, but all the focus this week has centred around accusations of spying and cheating.
Saints have been charged by the EFL after Boro claimed that a member of Saintsâ coaching staff was caught watching and recording one of their training sessions. The controversy has been dubbed Spygate 2.0.
It wouldnât be the play-offs if there wasnât drama and we should definitely get our fill of it on the pitch as well. This is an incredibly hard game to call between two teams that ended the league campaign with near identical records; they finished fourth and fifth respectively on 80 points, with a record of 22 wins, 14 draws and 10 defeats each.
Southampton will have home advantage, but Middlesbrough did hand them their biggest loss of the season when they beat them 4-0 at home back in January. And the north east outfit wonât lack for motivation when they meet for the fourth time this term.
Amid the controversy surrounding the club, Saints boss Tonda Eckert did not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of the second leg.
Kuryu Matsuki made his return in the opening leg, while Jack Stephens continues his recovery from injury. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and midfielder remain sidelined by long-term injuries.
The second leg is set to take place tonight after the first leg ended in a goalless draw.
Southampton has been charged by the EFL for allegedly spying on Middlesbrough's training sessions.
Spygate 2.0 refers to the controversy surrounding accusations that a Southampton coach recorded Middlesbrough's training.
The match is scheduled for tonight.

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Full-back Alex Bangura and midfielder Hayden Hackney could be included in the matchday squad as they close in on returns form injury. Alfie Jones and Darragh Lenihan are sidelined by long-term issues.
A phenomenal run of results in the second half of the season saw Southampton storm into the top six and even threaten to finish in the automatic promotion spots. But their form has stuttered in recent weeks.
Their eight-match winning streak in all competitions was ended in late April when they drew with Bristol City before losing to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals. They drew with second-placed Ipswich Town before beating Preston on the final day.
While Saints were flying in the final months of the campaign, Boro looked like they might blow their chance at the play-offs, going on a seven-game winless streak over a five-week period.
Kim Hellbergâs men have managed to steady the ship over the last month, going unbeaten in their last five matches to put them one match away from a shot at the Premier League.
The play-offs are being broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Even and Sky Sports Football.
Read â Drama, heartache and loadsamoney â why the Play-Offs might be the best thing in football
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