Middlesbrough will not be gaining automatic promotion after Sheffield United defeated West Bromwich Albion in midweek – nevertheless, Michael Carrick’s men will be looking to build momentum ahead of the upcoming Championship playoffs.
Boro are set to be without Dael Fry, Riley McGree, Aaron Ramsey and Marcus Forss for their game on Monday afternoon against the Millers. Matt Clarke will also be absent, as he continues to recover from his long-term back injury.
In their last Championship game, Middlesbrough were beaten in somewhat controversial fashion by fellow playoff contenders Luton Town. After dominating the first half, the Hatters battled back in the second period and found an equaliser. In the 67th minute, Luton were awarded a dubious penalty, which was slotted home by Carlton Morris – Boro failed to find a response and fell to defeat.
Meanwhile, Rotherham suffered a damaging defeat in their last game, as they were beaten by fellow relegation rivals Cardiff City at the New York Stadium. The scores were level late on, until defender Cedric Kipre fired home a half-volley from within the box to give the Bluebirds a valuable away win.
When the two teams last met, they played out a dull 0-0 draw at the Riverside Stadium. It was a particularly uneventful encounter – let’s hope for a more exciting affair on Monday afternoon.