Preview: Wrexham vs Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Wrexham play host to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon knowing that victory could prove enough to earn a playoff spot.

At a time when the home side sit in sixth position in the Championship table, Middlesbrough are in fourth and require maximum points to have any chance of achieving automatic promotion.

Match preview

After losing three of their last five matches, Wrexham are not exactly finishing their first season back in the Championship on a high.

Nevertheless, despite last weekend's 3-1 defeat to champions Coventry City, Phil Parkinson and his players know that victory against Middlesbrough could lead to sixth place being secured.

However, Wrexham also know that only a narrow win would let in Hull City to overtake them, defeat or draw would let in Derby County, and a scenario could play out where they are denied a playoff spot through their head-to-head with Hull.

Parkinson will insist on Wrexham focusing on themselves, particularly at the Racecourse Ground where they have won four of their last six Championship games.

Encouragingly, two of their most recent three such encounters have ended in 2-0 wins, yet only two teams have conceded more goals in home fixtures than Wrexham.

As for Middlesbrough, they have required victories in their last two fixtures to remain as outsiders for automatic promotion.

The 5-1 triumph over Watford last weekend has left Boro two points adrift of second-placed Ipswich Town and one behind Millwall in third.

Given the inferior goal difference to Ipswich, Kim Hellberg's side will need to beat Wrexham, hope that Ipswich lose to Queens Park Rangers and Millwall fail to overcome Oxford United.

Although Middlesbrough will travel to North Wales on a five-match unbeaten streak on their travels, they have posted draws in their last three such fixtures.

Their last two away games - at Swansea City and Ipswich - have ended in 2-2 scorelines, yet Middlesbrough still possess the third-best away record in the division.

Wrexham Championship form:

D L L W W L

Middlesbrough Championship form:

L D L D W W

Team News

Despite defeat at Coventry, Parkinson is unlikely to overly-tinker with his Wrexham XI.

Lewis O'Brien and Kieffer Moore are most likely to be recalled, potentially at the expense of Matty James and Sam Smith.

Liberato Cacace and Zak Vyner are among those who are sidelined for this contest.

Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway could be recalled to the starting lineup at the expense of Jeremy Sarmiento.

A decision will also need to be made over who starts out of Alex Bangura and Matt Targett, with both left-backs having their minutes managed by Hellberg.

Riley McGree remains a fitness doubt for this contest, as his Hayden Hackney who has been absent since March 14 with a calf issue.

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Ward; Hyam, Scarr, Doyle; Kabore, O'Brien, Dobson, Rathbone, Thomason; Windass; Moore

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Malanda, Bangura; Gilbert, Morris; Whittaker, Conway, Hansen; Strelec

We say: Wrexham 3-2 Middlesbrough

With Middlesbrough having picked up of late and able to throw caution to the wind, they will fancy their chances of overcoming what will be a tense Wrexham outfit. Nevertheless, we feel that the Welsh outfit will come through a thrilling encounter with the three points which may prove decisive in the playoff race.

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