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

Two teams in the top four in the Championship table will lock horns on Monday, with second-placed Middlesbrough welcoming fourth-placed Hull City.

Boro are eight points behind division leaders Coventry City, while Hull are five points behind their opponents at the Riverside Stadium in gameweek 24 of the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

Middlesbrough are enjoying an impressive campaign, boasting a record of 12 wins, seven draws and four defeats from their 23 matches, which has left them second in the table on 43 points, eight points behind the leaders Coventry.

Kim Hellberg's side will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers, with that result following a 2-0 reverse to Bristol City on December 20.

Boro won four straight matches against Derby County, Hull City, Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers between November 29 and December 13, but one point from their last two represents a disappointing period for the promotion challengers.

Middlesbrough have picked up 24 points from their 11 home Championship matches this season, but Hull have been relatively solid on their travels, claiming 15 points from their 11 league games away from their own stadium in 2025-26.

Boro have actually won their last three matches against Hull, including a 4-1 victory when the two teams locked horns for the reverse game at the start of December.

Hull, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, with that result stretching their unbeaten run to four games.

The Tigers were last beaten in the Championship at home to Boro on December 5, winning three and drawing one of their four fixtures since, and it has been an impressive campaign to date for Sergej Jakirovic's team.

Hull have a record of 11 wins, five draws and seven defeats from their 23 Championship matches this season, which has left them fourth in the table on 38 points, five points behind second-placed Middlesbrough ahead of Monday's clash.

The Tigers have actually conceded 37 times in the Championship this season, which is the second-worst defensive record in the division, but they have been impressive down the other end, scoring 39 - the second-best attacking record behind leaders Coventry.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

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Hull City Championship form:

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Team News

Alfie Jones, George Edmundson and Matt Targett are all doubts for Boro after picking up injuries during the Boxing Day contest with Hull.

Dael Fry, who is still managing a long-term calf problem, could therefore come in for a start on Monday, while Alex Bangura is in line to feature on the left.

Morgan Whittaker has been in impressive form this season, scoring eight times in 23 appearances, and there will be another spot in the final third for the 24-year-old.

As for Hull, Liam Millar and Eliot Matazo are out of the match through injury, while Semi Ajayi is in action for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Joe Gelhardt, who has scored 10 times in 20 appearances this season, and John Lundtram are also expected to be absent due to fitness issues.

Kyle Joseph has scored six times in 23 appearances this term, and there is expected to be a spot in the final third of the field for the 24-year-old.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Fry, Bangura; Gilbert, Hackney; Whittaker, Hamilton; Conway, Strelec

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; Coyle, Egan, Hughes, Giles; Crooks, Slater, Hadziahmetovic; Belloumi, McBurnie, Joseph

We say: Middlesbrough 1-1 Hull City

Both sides have been impressive this season, and this is shaping up to be a fascinating contest. It would not be a shock to see a home or indeed an away win, but we are expecting the points to be shared in a low-scoring draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.