Championship | Gameweek 37

Mar 11, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Riverside Stadium

Middlesbrough vs QPR

Match preview

Middlesbrough sit ninth in the Championship table having won 14, drawn eight and lost 14 of their 36 games this season.

Boro endured a five-match losing streak before bouncing back with back-to-back wins over Stoke City and Derby County.

However, Middlesbrough were unable to make it three wins in a row away to Swansea City on Saturday, falling to a narrow 1-0 defeat after Eom Ji-Sung's first-half strike.

The result leaves Boro five points adrift of sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion, with their final 10 games of the season crucial if they are to secure a play-off spot for the second time in three seasons.

Michael Carrick's side may have been held to a blank sheet on Saturday, but they still go into Tuesday's clash as the league's third-highest scorers with 55 goals to their name this season.

Four of those came in the reverse fixture in November, with the 4-1 away win marking their third win in four head-to-head meetings with QPR.

QPR sit comfortably in mid-table with 44 points from 36 league games, 11 points clear of the top six and 12 points above the relegation zone.

The R's will be disappointed with their recent run of results, having lost four of their last five games, including their last three against Portsmouth, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion.

They will have been particularly disappointed away to the Baggies on Saturday, having played the entire second period with a man advantage after Darnell Furlong was sent off in first-half stoppage time.

QPR were unable to respond to Adam Armstrong's first-half penalty as they fell to fourth successive away defeat.

Marti Cifuentes' side will be desperate to end their road woes when they travel to Teeside on Tuesday, with the visitors looking for their first away win since beating Hull City 2-0 in January.

The R's may be able to draw inspiration from the 2-0 win they recorded on their last visit to the Riverside Stadium in September 2023.

Recent Performance

Middlesbrough Championship form:LLLWWL

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:WLWLLL

Team News

Middlesbrough are without Rav van den Berg, George Edmundson, Darragh Lenihan and Luke Ayling, while Dael Fry was ruled out of Saturday's defeat by Swansea with a calf problem, meaning Boro will be without a natural centre-back for Tuesday's clash.

The hosts are also without Sol Brynn, Seny Dieng, Alex Bangura, Riley McGree and Ben Doak through injury.

Jonny Howson could come into the side as a makeshift centre-back, while Samuel Iling-Junior and Kelechi Iheanacho could also be in contention for a place after coming on as half-time substitutes at the Swansea.com Stadium.

The visitors will be without the services of Jake Clarke-Salter, Sam Field, Harvey Vale, Zan Celar and Rayan Kolli.

Midfielder Jonathan Varane and striker Michael Frey will be assessed after both missed the defeat to West Brom with minor injuries.

Liam Morrison and Alfie Lloyd will be pushing for starting places after coming on as half-time substitutes at the Hawthorns.

Possible starting lineup

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:

Travers; Dijksteel, Howson, Giles, Borges; Morris, Hackney; Iling-Junior, Conway, Azaz; Iheanacho

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Edwards, Paal; Morgan, Colback; Yang, Chair, Saito; Smyth