Preview: Plymouth Argyle vs. Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Middlesbrough will be hoping to move closer to the Championship playoff spots when they face Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon.

While Boro currently sit in 10th place in the standings, Plymouth are 19th, albeit six points clear of the relegation zone.

Match preview

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Michael Carrick would have been hugely disappointed to see his Middlesbrough side lose their six-match winning streak last weekend with a home defeat to Stoke City.

That result prevented Boro from moving level on points with sixth place, yet Carrick will put things into context having spent the majority of the opening quarter of the season in the relegation zone.

Losing to Stoke at the Riverside Stadium will rid them of any complacency going forward, as will needing to come from behind to defeat Exeter City by a 3-2 scoreline in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

While that competition is not necessarily a priority, Boro will reach the semi-finals if they can overcome League One outfit Port Vale on away territory.

With regards to league matters, Leicester City follow the contest with Plymouth, putting more pressure on the North East side to deliver on their second trip to the South West in the space of a matter of days.

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Plymouth have endured a mixed return to the second tier, prevailing on four occasions but failing to go more than two games unbeaten at any point.

Steven Schumacher's team have also posted just one victory in their last six Championship fixtures, a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Home Park.

However, a trip to high-flying Ipswich Town was next on the agenda, Argyle going down by a 3-2 scoreline despite taking an early lead at Portman Road.

Schumacher will be pushing his players to get everything possible out of this season, yet he will be inwardly satisfied that his team have already established some daylight between themselves and the bottom three.

Although Boro are on a three-match winning streak away from home in the Championship, Plymouth possess the second-best attacking record on home territory.

Team News

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Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu are both expected to be missing for Plymouth after suffering hamstring injuries against Ipswich.

Ben Waine is expected to lead the line in their absence in what may prove to be the only change from the game in East Anglia.

As for Middlesbrough, Carrick made seven changes for the EFL Cup tie on Tuesday, with some of the players who came into the team making an impact.

Morgan Rogers, Samuel Silvera and Emmanuel Latte Lath all got on the scoresheet and are in contention to feature in the final third.

Having missed the Stoke defeat through a one-match ban for five yellow cards, Hayden Hackney is expected to take the place of Dan Barlaser.

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Kesler-Hayden, Scarr, Gibson, Miller; Cundle, Randell, Azaz; Whittaker, Hardie, Mumba

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Dieng; Van den Berg, Fry, McNair, Engel; Howson, Hackney; Jones, Crooks, Greenwood; Latte Lath

We say: Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Middlesbrough

With Plymouth having impressed at home, they will back themselves to get the better of their opponents who may be fatigued. Nevertheless, we feel that Boro's superior quality will ultimately shine through, potentially during the latter stages.

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