Aitor Karanka "confident" of beating Crystal Palace

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka has said that he is "confident" of his side's chances ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with relegation rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Boro go into the match without an away win in their last 12 outings, a run which stretches back to August, while they have taken just one point and scored only one goal in their last five on the road.

However, they have taken 11 points and lost just once from six matches against fellow teams in the bottom six this term, and Karanka is drawing confidence from that record.

"That record is another thing to be confident about. When we have to defend or try to add one point we are doing that but when we have to win we doing that too," he told reporters.

"We have played a lot with teams who are in the top 10 of the table and even playing against them we have had chances to win those games. Now we have a chance to play against a team in our position and I am confident."

Boro currently sit just three points above 19th-placed Palace ahead of their trip to London.