Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Birmingham City

Birmingham City still haven't won two league games in a row this season and might feel that achieving that against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night could secure their Championship safety.

The Blues eased their relegation worries with a 3-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers on Saturday and now travel to the Riverside to face a Boro side on a decent run of their own.

Lee Clark has no new injury worries but might want to tinker with his frontline, with Lee Novak, Jordan Ibe and Nikola Zigic all pushing to join Saturday's two-goal match-winner Federico Macheda.

While Birmingham are looking to make it two wins on the bounce, Aitor Karanka's Boro will win their third game in a row with victory.

The North-East club have earned impressive victories over playoff-chasing Brighton & Hove Albion and high-flying Derby County to move within a point of the top half.

Dean Whitehead is still suspended for the home side for the visit of Birmingham, so Nathaniel Chalobah will continue in his place after scoring the winner against Derby.

The reverse fixture between these two back in December was a 2-2 draw, with Kyle Bartley scoring a 94th-minute equaliser for Birmingham.

Recent form

Boro: WWDLDD

Birmingham: WLWLLD

Possible starting lineups

Boro: Konstantopoulos; Varga, Omerou, Gibson, Friend; Leadbitter, Chalobah; Adomah, Tomlin, Williams; Graham

Birmingham: Randolph; Caddis, Thorpe, Robinson, Reilly; Huws, Spector; Burke, Macheda, Novak; Zigic

Sports Mole says: 2-1