Preview: Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth - prediction, team news, lineups

After going five games without a win, Middlesbrough will look to get their promotion bid back on track when they take on Portsmouth in Saturday's Championship clash at the Riverside Stadium.

Meanwhile, relegation-threatened Pompey will be aiming to end their eight-game winless run.

Match preview

Middlesbrough's automatic promotion hopes have been dented by a five-game winless run that started with a 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic.

Boro then played out back-to-back draws against Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers, before they gave up a slender lead in a narrow 2-1 defeat to promotion rivals Millwall.

Kim Hellberg's side dropped more points in Monday's trip clash against Swansea City, which produced three penalties - one for Boro and two for the Swans - in a 2-2 draw at the Swansea.com Stadium.

With five games to play, Boro are sitting in third place, level on 72 points with Millwall and Ipswich Town, who occupy second and fourth spot respectively.

Middlesbrough may already have one eye on next weekend's fixture against Ipswich, who have two games in hand over Boro, but first, they will attempt to claim their first win over Portsmouth since running out 3-1 winners at Fratton Park in March 2012.

Boro will also be hoping to rediscover their goalscoring touch on home turf after failing to score more than one in any of their previous six outings at the Riverside Stadium.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, are in a fierce battle to preserve their Championship status after winning 10, drawing 12 and losing 18 of their 40 league matches this term.

In fact, John Mousinho's charges have gone eight games without a win since they recorded their most recent victory over Millwall on February 21 (D3, L5).

Pompey have at least managed to avoid defeat in their last two outings, playing out a 1-1 scoreline away to Norwich City before rescuing a 2-2 draw from Monday's home clash against relegation rivals Oxford United.

The south coast side, who played over 70 minutes with 10 players following Conor Ogilvie's red card, looked set to fall to a narrow 2-1 defeat before Andre Dozzell netted a late leveller to salvage a precious point, leaving them in 21st spot and one point clear of Leicester City and Oxford.

Pompey are now preparing for a tricky run of fixtures that will see them take on the Championship's top three in their next four outings, including their game in hand against Ipswich Town at Fratton Park on Tuesday.

Portsmouth's current focus will be on Saturday's trip to Teeside, and while they lost just one of their last nine league games against Middlesbrough, they are winless in their previous five visits to the Riverside since a 4-0 triumph in August 2006 (D4, L1).

Middlesbrough Championship form:

W L D D L D

Portsmouth Championship form:

D L L L D D

Team News

Middlesbrough are likely to be without Alfie Jones, Darragh Lenihan, Leo Castledine, Hayden Hackney, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Whittaker.

Alex Bangura is expected to miss out after being forced off with an injury in the first half against Swansea.

Matt Targett will replace Bangura in the backline as long as he recovers from the injury that kept him out of Monday's draw.

As for Portsmouth, they are unable to call upon Josh Murphy, Franco Umeh, Florian Bianchini, Ebou Adams and Mark Kosznovszky.

Zak Swanson is struggling with a knee issue, while Ogilvie will start his three-match ban following his dismissal on Monday.

Defender Josh Knight and forward Thomas Waddingham are available for selection after recovering from their long injury layoffs.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Malanda, Targett; Browne, Morris; McGree, Sarmiento; Strelec, Conway

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Shaughnessy, Williams; Pack, Dozzell, Caballero, Chaplin, Anderson; Bishop

We say: Middlesbrough 1-1 Portsmouth

Middlesbrough will be desperate to return to winning ways, but considering they have won just one of their previous nine meetings with Pompey, we think they will be held to a draw on Saturday, especially as the south coast side have shown signs of improvement in their last two outings.

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