EFL Championship | Gameweek 43

Apr 18, 2025 at 3pm UK

Riverside Stadium

Middlesbrough vs Plymouth

Match preview

Middlesbrough have stumbled at the worst possible time, with back-to-back defeats leaving them out of the play-off places with just four games remaining.

Michael Carrick's men were beaten at Millwall last weekend after losing at home to Leeds United, undoing much of the good work they had done in a seven-game winning run.

Boro would have been the favourites after that impressive run, but it now looks as though it will go down to the wire, with Bristol City and Coventry City currently best placed to claim the final two play-off places.

Carrick's side are three points adrift of sixth, but a healthy plus-10 goal difference could prove vital, especially if they can pick up a win here.

Boro's next two games are against Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City, both of whom have nothing to play for, while their next game is at home to the bottom side, giving them the most favourable fixtures on paper.

A final-day showdown with Coventry could prove decisive, with a play-off spot on the line, but first they have to get the job done against a Plymouth side who will not go down without a fight.

Boro have won just two of their last nine games against the Green Army and have a dismal record on Good Friday, winning just 11 of their 51 games on the day.

Plymouth have also won on their last two visits to the Riverside, back in 2009, as well as a 2-0 victory in February last year, giving them the chance to make it three away from home for the first time in their history.

Miron Muslic's men will also be riding high after their dramatic comeback win over Sheffield United last time out.

Trailing 1-0 going into the final 10 minutes, goals from Ryan Hardie and Muhamed Tijani turned the game on its head and gave Argyle a famous victory at Home Park to keep their survival hopes alive.

Only Sheffield Wednesday (21) have taken more points from losing positions than Plymouth (18) in the Championship this season, and that accounts for almost half of their points (40).

However, Muslic's side remain bottom of the table, level on points with Luton Town, but with only 10 points separating the bottom 10, anything could happen in the final four games.

What is certain is that Plymouth need to improve defensively, especially away from home, where they have conceded 82 goals, 16 more than any other side in the division.

In 21 away games this season, Plymouth have won just once, picked up a meagre nine points, scored just eight goals and have a goal difference of minus-38, so home form will be crucial, but showdowns with Coventry and Leeds will be devilishly difficult.

Recent Performance

Middlesbrough Championship form:WDWWLL

Plymouth Argyle Championship form:WLDWLW

Team News

Ben Doak remains Middlesbrough biggest absentee, with the Liverpool loanee still sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Goalkeepers Seny Dieng and Sol Brynn are also absent, while there are other concerns at the back, with Luke Ayling, Neto Borges and George Edmundson all on the treatment table.

Long-term absentees Alex Bangura and Darragh Lenihan are also unlikely to return before the end of the season, adding to the hosts' long list of injuries.

Plymouth do not have as many injuries to contend with, but the absence of Ukrainian defender Maksym Talovierov is significant given the impact he has made since arriving in January.

Brendan Galloway is also out with a hip injury, while Muslic will be hoping Bosnian Nikola Katic returns from a short-term injury, although Jordan Houghton and Kornel Szucs were stoic in the centre of defence last week.

Possible starting lineup

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Travers; Dijksteel, Howson, Van den Berg, Iling Junior; Morris, Hackney; Whittaker, Conway, Azaz; Iheanacho

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Hazard; Szucz, Katic, Pleguezuelo; Mumba, Palsson, Randell, Ogbeta; Hardie, Tijani, Bundu