Preview: Derby County vs. Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough could enter the automatic promotion places on New Year's Day with a victory at Derby County.

Tony Mowbray's men go into the game at Pride Park just one point off second spot thanks to a 4-2 win over Blackpool on Saturday.

Derby will be looking to stop the rot in front of their home fans following two defeats and a draw in their last three matches.

Despite recently making his comeback from a hamstring injury, Jamie Ward will sit out the match at Pride Park after he suffered a recurrence of the problem during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic.

Boro will assess Josh McEachran's ankle injury ahead of the match, while Stuart Parnaby could feature at some point as he regains his match fitness in the wake of a medial ligament problem.

Recent form:

Derby: LWWLLD

Middlesbrough: WLWLWW

Possible lineups:

Derby: Legzdins; Brayford, Keogh, O'Connor, Roberts; Coutts, Hendrick, Hughes, Davies; Robinson, Tyson

Middlesbrough: Steele; Hoyte, Williams, Woodgate, Leadbitter; Bailey, Halliday, Smallwood, Emnes; McDonald, Miller

Sports Mole says: 2-2