Middlesbrough v Leicester City: promotion push meets survival fight | OneFootball

Middlesbrough host Leicester City in the Championship on Tuesday, 24 February 2026 at the Riverside Stadium, with the hosts chasing automatic promotion and the visitors trying to climb out of the relegation places.

Middlesbrough are second with 62 points, while Leicester City sit 22nd on 33. The reverse fixture finished 1-1 in November, and Middlesbrough won both meetings in 2023-24, 1-0 at home and 2-1 away.

Boro's momentum is strong: three wins in four before Saturday's goalless draw against Oxford followed a setback at Coventry. The Foxes halted a run of four straight league defeats with a 2-2 draw at Stoke last time out.

Boro list defenders Darragh Lenihan, George Edmundson, Alfie Jones and Alex Bangura, plus midfielder Leo Castledine, as injured. The Foxes are without Jannik Vestergaard, Jamaal Lascelles, Jordan Ayew, Hamza Choudhury, Victor Kristiansen, Aaron Ramsey, Abdul Fatawu and Jordan James.

Boro may look to control the game. They average 58% possession with 84.56% pass accuracy and have 10 clean sheets this season. Morgan Whittaker has 11 league goals and five assists and poses a clear threat. The Foxes have scored 46 but conceded 53, with only three clean sheets, so tightening their defence will be vital. With Fatawu and James sidelined, they could lean on set pieces and quick transitions.

A win would move Boro to 65 points and further cement their automatic promotion push. The Foxes would rise to 36 points with victory and could move out of the relegation places, keeping their survival bid alive.