Ipswich Town have 2 key advantages over Middlesbrough - Kim Hellberg says | OneFootball

Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town are level on points going into this weekend's Championship action

Middlesbrough have slid out of the automatic promotion places due to their recent run of form.

The Teesside outfit haven’t won any of their last five league fixtures, with their last victory coming on 11 March against QPR.

This has offered Ipswich Town the chance to move ahead in the battle for the second automatic promotion spot, which they have duly taken.

The two teams are level on points, but Kieran McKenna’s side still also have two games in hand on their rivals.

Millwall are also in the mix, with the Lions also on 72 points, but their inferior goal difference has left them fourth in the table.

Middlesbrough will need to get back to winning ways quickly if they’re to have any chance of earning their place back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

Kim Hellberg highlights two Ipswich Town advantages over Middlesbrough

Hellberg has highlighted two key advantages that Ipswich have over Middlesbrough during the run-in, claiming their goal difference and their games in hand will be crucial in determining second place.

He believes that there will be twists and turns between now and the final day on 2 May, citing Millwall winning at the Riverside before losing to Norwich City on Monday as a prime example of that.

"Of course Ipswich are in a massive pole position with 72 [points], the goal difference and two games in hand,” said Hellberg, via The Northern Echo.

"But you also look at the fact they have five away games and us at home, which is the next six.

"It’s tough to go back and forth.

“We are in a better position than Millwall now because we're better goal difference, but they were in a better position [after winning at the Riverside], so it will switch and turn.”

Hellberg has praised his side for being tough to beat, but warned the players that they need to start converting draws into wins to have any hope of overturning Ipswich and earning second place.

"You have to find wins and points and that’s why it was strong for us to show character and then we have to, of course, win on Saturday,” he added.

"That’s what we try to do every game.

“Even if this period has been very poor, we have very few losses.

“I think we lost three in the last 15, 16. But it’s a lot of draws, that’s what has killed us a little bit and especially at home.

“And I'm trying to work out and find ways to help the players in a better way."

Middlesbrough last reached the play-offs in 2023 under Michael Carrick after the team finished fourth in the Championship table.

Semi-final defeat to Coventry City ended their hopes of a return to the Premier League, and the club narrowly missed out on the top six in the subsequent campaigns.

This led to Carrick’s departure last summer, with Rob Edwards taking his place, but he was poached by Wolves in November.

Hellberg stepped into the role of head coach as a consequence, and the Swede has overseen 12 wins from 25 games.

Middlesbrough are now third in the table as a result, and have just five games left to leapfrog Ipswich.

The gap to league leaders Coventry City is now also 12 points, and a failure to win this weekend will open the door for the Sky Blues to confirm their place inside the top two.

Boro will be in action on 11 April with a home clash against relegation-threatened Portsmouth in a 3pm kick-off.

Middlesbrough are up against it in Ipswich Town battle

Middlesbrough were in a strong position to earn a place in the Premier League, but sustaining their form over a whole campaign has proven too much for them.

This five game stretch could be decisive, as getting back to winning ways in the last few weeks might not even be enough now, with their fate effectively out of their hands.

Ipswich are level on points with Boro, but two extra games in hand puts them in complete control of the top two battle.

Hellberg’s side will travel to Portman Road later in the month, and a win is absolutely needed if they’re to get back ahead of the Tractor Boys, otherwise they will have to settle for the play-offs.