Preview: Middlesbrough vs Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to keep any hopes alive of breaking into the top two of the Championship table in the final weeks of the regular season, Middlesbrough will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Riverside Stadium.

A winless streak in the run-in leaves the hosts three points off second spot with just three games remaining, while their visitors are unable to climb off the foot of the table or avoid relegation in their final three matches.

Match preview

Middlesbrough return to action on Wednesday aiming to revive any faint automatic promotion hopes in the Championship run-in, having seen their lead in the top-two race fade away in a poor recent run.

They sat in pole position for the second automatic promotion spot after back-to-back victories in early March, having earned 69 points from their 34 outings, including 39 from their first 19 under the management of Kim Hellberg courtesy of 12 wins alongside just four defeats.

Boro have since failed to continue their impressive run and seal a return to the Premier League, though, instead quickly falling behind in the top-two race due to a seven-game winless streak, having earned just four points in that time since early March, scoring just six goals along the way.

Following home losses to Millwall and Portsmouth and a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, Hellberg's men met second-placed Ipswich Town in a crucial contest on Sunday and twice led through David Strelec and Tommy Conway, only to be pegged back in the first half by Kasey McAteer before Jack Clarke forced a share of the spoils in another 2-2 draw by converting an 87th-minute penalty.

Now left three points behind Ipswich, who have a game in hand, after that agonising draw, Middlesbrough will feel they need to win their final three league outings beginning on Wednesday to stand a chance of regaining a top-two spot and avoiding leaving their promotion hopes to the playoffs.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head north aiming to take a major scalp and continue a pleasing upturn in form into the end of the season before their impending drop to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday always faced an uphill task in their second consecutive Championship term, and off-field issues culminated with them entering administration in October, triggering deductions totalling 18 points.

Henrik Pedersen's side have failed to overcome that setback and saw their relegation confirmed in February, still sitting on -6 points having earned just 12 and one victory from their 43 outings, while losing 30.

The Owls have, at least, lifted spirits with three consecutive draws as the end of the term approaches, though, firstly sharing points at home to Leicester City and away at runaway leaders Coventry City before hosting Charlton Athletic on Saturday and earning a share of the points from a 1-1 draw thanks to Gabriel Otegbayo's 76th-minute leveller after Matt Godden had the visitors ahead.

Now sitting on -3 points with three games remaining, two of which come away from home this week, Sheffield Wednesday will go in search of a first victory since September and a second of the season in the league to move out of negative points before their relegation.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

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Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Team News

Middlesbrough remain without several key men heading into Wednesday's game, with star midfielder Hayden Hackney among those confined to the treatment room alongside Riley McGree and Leo Castledine.

Defenders Alfie Jones and Darragh Lenihan will also miss out again, meaning Adilson Malanda, Dael Fry and Luke Ayling should line up in an unaltered back three.

Alex Gilbert and Alan Browne should again join Aidan Morris in the engine room in the absence of Hackney and McGree, while Strelec and Conway both got on the scoresheet on Sunday, taking the latter to 10 league goals for the season.

Sheffield Wednesday are still unable to call on Liam Cooper, Di'Shon Bernard, Ike Ugbo and George Brown.

Key midfielder Svante Ingelsson also missed the weekend's contest with Charlton, meaning Jaden Heskey and Nathaniel Chalobah should again partner up in the engine room.

Ahead of them, Jamal Lowe and Olaf Kobacki may again join Jerry Yates in a front three, while Liam Palmer, Otegbayo and Max Lowe should continue in a back three despite competition from Dominic Iorfa.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Malanda, Fry, Ayling; Brittain, Morris, Gilbert, Targett; Browne; Conway, Strelec

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Charles; Palmer, Otegbayo, M Lowe; Fusire, Heskey, Chalobah, Adaramola; J Lowe, Yates, Kobacki

We say: Middlesbrough 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Middlesbrough have seemingly run out of momentum at a poor time in the final weeks of the promotion race, but we still fancy them to come out on top at home to a Sheffield Wednesday side lacking quality and depth, despite the visitors' impressive resilience to draw their last three games against the odds.

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