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Burnley logo
Championship
Apr 12, 2014 at 3.07pm UK
 
Middlesbrough logo

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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


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Middlesbrough's Lukas Jutkiewicz in action against Accrington Stanley during their League Cup first round match on August 6, 2013
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