Preview: Fulham vs. Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough will travel to lowly Fulham on Saturday afternoon needing a win to maintain their push for an automatic promotion place.

Fulham have secured their Championship status for next season following last weekend's win at Blackpool, so the Cottagers will be looking to upset the odds by toppling Boro now that the pressure is off.

Fulham

After a season to forget, Fulham sit nine points clear of the relegation zone with two games remaining and have finally ensured that they will remain in the second tier next term.

Symons took charge of the West Londoners back in September following the departure of Felix Magath and he has fulfilled his remit of keeping Fulham in the Championship, even if there were many ups and downs along the way.

One win from 12 games at the beginning of 2015 had threatened to drag Fulham back into the relegation mire, but just one defeat from their last six has prevented a second successive relegation, following their drop out of the Premier League last season.

Strikers Ross McCormack and Matt Smith have been in fine form lately, netting seven goals between them in five games, but they will find it tough against a Boro side that boasts the best defensive record in the division, having conceded just 33 times in 44 outings.

Recent form: WLDDDW

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough could be just two games away from securing a dream return to the Premier League, six years after they last played at that level.

To go up, Boro must better either Bournemouth or Watford's results over the last two games and hope that the top two slip up somewhere along the line. As it stands, the Teesiders are third in the table on 84 points, with only goal difference keeping them out of the automatic promotion places.

Promotion would be a fine achievement for Boro and their head coach Aitor Karanka, who has turned them from a mid-table outfit to Premier League hopefuls since taking charge just over 18 months ago.

Karanka's men secured an impressive 1-0 victory over promotion rivals Norwich City at Carrow Road a week ago, which keeps them on the coattails of Bournemouth and Watford.

Boro have picked up one trophy this week, with striker Patrick Bamford scooping the Championship Player of the Year award after netting 17 times this season while on loan from Chelsea.

Middlesbrough are in fine form, having won five of their last six games and, with the promotion race so tight, another win at Craven Cottage could make all the difference.

Recent form: LWLWWW

Team News

Symons made two changes to his Fulham side for the win at Blackpool, with Tim Hoogland and Sean Kavanagh replacing Scott Parker and Bryan Ruiz.

The Fulham boss might be tempted to keep faith with a winning team, but with nothing left to play for this season he could decide to give other players the chance to impress. Shaun Hutchinson and Seko Fofana were both named on the bench at Bloomfield Road and could be handed starts, while Parker may return in midfield.

Karanka is facing a mini injury crisis ahead of the trip to the capital, with Bamford struggling with an ankle knock and fellow striker Jelle Vossen suffering a neck injury. It is expected that the Boro boss and his staff will make a decision on the pair's inclusion nearer the time.

Should Bamford or Vossen miss out, Emilio Nsue and Emmanuel Ledesma are in contention to come into the side.

Fulham possible starting lineup: Bettinelli; Richards, Turner, Burn, Husband; Hoogland, Tunnicliffe, Guthrie, Kavanagh; McCormack, Smith

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup: Konstantopoulos; Kalas, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Adomah, Leadbitter, Clayton, Tomlin, Ledesma; Bamford

Head To Head

Middlesbrough came out on top when the sides met in the reverse fixture at the Riverside Stadium back in October, with goals from Adam Reach and Adomah giving them a 2-0 win.

Boro have the better overall record against the Cottagers, winning 27 times to Fulham's 22, although their record at Craven Cottage is not as good, with Fulham winning 15 of the 28 meetings there.

Fulham won 3-0 when Middlesbrough last visited the Cottage, which came in the 2008-09 season when both sides were in the Premier League.

We say: Fulham 0-2 Middlesbrough

Fulham's form has improved of late, although they tend to draw more games than they win. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, are in fine fettle and have won their last three on the bounce.

Provided that they keep Fulham's front two of Smith and McCormack quiet, they should have enough to win the game and maintain their promotion bid.