Middlesbrough v City: promotion push meets mid-table reset | OneFootball

Middlesbrough host Bristol City in the Championship at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, 14 March 2026, with the hosts chasing automatic promotion and the visitors looking to end a three match league losing run.

Middlesbrough are second on 69 points, while Bristol City sit 12th with 50. The visitors won December's reverse fixture 2-0.

Boro's four game unbeaten stretch ended with a 1-0 defeat to Charlton, after emphatic wins at Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham. City have lost three league matches in a row and five of their last six in all competitions.

Boro are without defenders Darragh Lenihan, Dael Fry, Alfie Jones and Alex Bangura, with forward Samuel Silvera also sidelined. The Robins are missing Joseph Williams and a clutch of defenders: Robert Dickie, Rob Atkinson, Luke McNally and George Tanner.

With 59% average possession and 84.71% passing accuracy this season, Boro may look to control the ball and feed Morgan Whittaker, who has 11 league goals, with Hayden Hackney supplying from midfield. City could lean on deliveries, boasting 10 headed goals and 21.30% open play cross accuracy, with Scott Twine on 10 goals and Emil Riis Jakobsen on nine.

A home win would move Boro to 72 points and tighten their grip on the top two. Victory for City would take them to 53 points and could lift them towards the top 10.