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

Middlesbrough welcome Norwich City to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon for their latest instalment of Championship action.

Boro convincingly dispatched Preston North End 4-0 in their previous league outing, while Norwich toppled Frank Lampard's Coventry City 2-1 at Carrow Road.

Match preview

Middlesbrough narrowly missed out on securing a place in the playoffs last season, but it looks like that will be the minimum they achieve in 2025-26.

Despite losing former manager Rob Edwards to Wolverhampton Wanderers in November, new boss Kim Hellberg has continued to steer Boro in the right direction, and they currently sit second in the Championship table with 55 points from 29 matches.

Since their four-match winless streak over the festive period, Hellberg's side have been the form side in the Championship, winning each of their previous four matches and scoring 13 goals in the process.

Although no Championship side has conceded fewer home goals than Boro, it is their away form that has them fighting at the league's summit, picking up more points on their travels than any side in the division.

When the sides met in August, first half goals from Finn Azaz and Tommy Conway were enough to give Middlesbrough all three points in a 2-1 win at Carrow Road.

Prior to their 3-1 win against Queens Park Rangers at Carrow Road in November, Norwich had gone 13 matches without a win in the Championship and were at risk of being cut adrift inside the relegation zone.

However, they have since been one of the division's form sides and currently sit 18th in the league table, four points clear of the bottom three.

Philippe Clement's outfit have won each of their previous four matches in all competitions and their latest was perhaps their most impressive, coming from behind to beat league leaders Coventry 2-1 at Carrow Road on Monday evening.

Away from home, Norwich are unbeaten in their previous five matches and have claimed victory in each of their latest three, scoring a combined nine goals over that span.

In last season's equivalent fixture, the sides played out a 0-0 draw, and the Canaries' most recent win at the Riverside Stadium came in November 2020 thanks to a Teemu Pukki penalty.

Middlesbrough Championship form:

Middlesbrough form (all competitions):

Norwich City Championship form:

Norwich City form (all competitions):

Team News

Although Matt Targett and Adilson Malanda had to be withdrawn against Preston, it looks like neither sustained any serious injury, meaning both could be available for Boro this weekend.

Alfie Jones and Darragh Lenihan continue to be sidelined with long-term injuries, while Alex Bangura is set to be out for another month with a muscle problem.

After missing the previous few matches it remains to be seen whether Mamadou Kapy Sene or David Strelec will make a return to Hellberg's matchday squad on Saturday.

Middlesbrough's latest signing Jeremy Sarmiento could make his debut for the club after signing on an initial loan deal from Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.

Norwich duo Ante Crnac and Mirko Topic are set to miss the remainder of the season as both recover from ACL injuries, while Gabriel Forsyth remains out after requiring surgery on a knee problem in September.

Jeffrey Schlupp has been unavailable for the Canaries since November due to a serious hamstring injury, an issue that also continues to burden Amankwah Forson.

Since picking up a muscle injury in December, Shane Duffy has not featured for Clement's side, while the Belgian manager also looks likely to be without Danish midfielder Pelle Mattson for a few matches, after he was forced off at the break against Coventry with an ankle injury.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Ayling, Malanda, Fry, Targett; Morris, Browne, Hackney; Whittaker, Conway, Castledine

Norwich City possible starting lineup:

Kovacevic; Fisher, McConville, Cordoba, Chrisene; Wright, McLean; Springett, Slimane, Ahmed; Makama