Boro to heap more misery on Millwall

23Feb 2013

England - The Championship

Middlesbrough can get their promotion push back on track against the misfiring Lions, says Andy Tongue...

Middlesbrough v Millwall

Saturday 23rd February

17.20 GMT

Live on Sky Sports Two

Two of the most out-of-form sides meet at the Riverside in Saturday's televised Championship game with the pair desperately needing the points for differing reasons.

Middlesbrough

Having been chasing the automatic promotion spots before Christmas, Boro are now trying to avoid slipping out of the play-off positions following a run of just one win from eight in the league and are out to 8.1 for promotion come May. That sole victory was a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds in their last home game and they are still a tough nut to crack on home soil - with 11 wins in the league at the Riverside this season, only Cardiff have won more times in front of their own fans.

Tuesday's goalless draw at Burnley will have pleased Tony Mowbray for the defensive performance at least, after conceding four at both Crystal Palace and Ipswich in recent weeks. Building on that with a win here would at least set them up nicely for those all-important last two months of the season.

Millwall

The Lions are in freefall in the Championship and the 'R' word is being mentioned by some of their supporters. The FA Cup run, with a very winnable quarter-final at home to Blackburn, can't hide their league form which now reads five defeats on the spin, culminating in Tuesday night's embarrassing 5-1 reversal at home to rock-bottom Peterborough. In fact they have won just once in the league since December 15.

The loss of star striker Chris Wood to Leicester, followed swiftly by Darius Henderson's departure for Nottingham Forest has robbed Kenny Jackett of two of the best forwards in this league and seems to have broken the team's spirit. They are now just six points above the relegation spots and history shows that one side often plunges from seeming mid-table security with a terrible run post-Christmas. Those who fancy a speculative punt could do worse than take the 13.0 about the Lions to be relegated.

Match Odds

Boro's recent poor run means they are available at 2.08, which is an attractive price for a side who, as mentioned, have won 11 times at home this season. Millwall's confidence is no doubt fragile after those five losses and they will likely have one of the smallest travelling contingents of supporters at the Riverside all season so everything should be in the home side's favour. Mowbray will have left his side in no doubt that if they have genuine promotion aspirations they simply have to get their campaign back on track here and I can't see beyond a home win.

Recommended Bet

Back Boro to win at 2.08

Other Bet

Back Millwall to be relegated at 13.0