Preview: Hull City vs. Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Middlesbrough make the trip to the KCOM Stadium on Saturday afternoon having returned to the top half of the Championship table with victory over Sheffield United.

Meanwhile, Hull head into this contest looking for the win which could take the club outside of the relegation zone for the first time in more than a month.

Match preview

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Hull supporters will joke that they have been spoiled for goals over the past 10 days with two coming in as many home fixtures.

However, neither strike led to a much-needed win, and the 1-1 draw with Blackpool has left the Tigers sitting two points adrift of safety in 23rd position.

Grant McCann will be encouraged by how his players fought back to claim a share of the spoils against the Tangerines, the equaliser coming six minutes from time after they had earlier been reduced to 10 men.

Nevertheless, he would have viewed that encounter as a must-win, like he will ahead of welcoming Boro to the KCOM Stadium at the weekend.

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Despite failing to win back-to-back matches in the Championship this season, Neil Warnock's side find themselves sitting in the top half of the table.

That is more down to the inconsistency of other teams rather than Middlesbrough doing anything out of the ordinary, and it will be perceived to be a bonus given their struggles this campaign.

Warnock would have been delighted with the 2-0 victory over in-form Sheffield United on Tuesday night, Duncan Watmore finally netting his first goal of the season with a wonder-strike.

Middlesbrough are still to score more than two strikes in a game, but possessing the fifth-best defensive record in the division has gone under the radar.

The North-East outfit have also gone five games without conceding a first-half goal, something which could stand them in good stead against opposition such as Hull.

Team News

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Josh Emmanuel is expected to get the nod at right-back with Lewie Coyle serving a suspension for this game.

Tom Eaves could be handed his first start of the season after scoring as a substitute in midweek, getting the nod ahead of Tyler Smith.

Richard Smallwood and Matt Smith are on standby if McCann opts to freshen up his midfield.

Warnock must decide whether to use Sol Bamba for the second game in succession with Grant Hall an alternative to the veteran centre-back.

Unless Uche Ikpeazu takes the place of Andraz Sporar, the rest of the Boro starting lineup could remain the same.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Ingram; Emmanuel, Jones, Greaves, Elder; Docherty, Smallwood; Wilks, Moncur, Lewis-Potter; Eaves

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Lumley; Peltier, Hall, Fry; Tavernier, McNair, Howson, Bola; Crooks; Watmore, Sporar

We say: Hull City 1-1 Middlesbrough

Warnock will demand that his Boro side kick on from their important victory in midweek. Nevertheless, consistency has been their problem all season, leading us to predict another spirited draw for Hull.