Middlesbrough are looking to end their poor run of form as they host Coventry City in the second leg of their EFL Championship promotion playoff semifinal.
Michael Carrick's side are winless in their last four games, including the reverse fixture which ended goalless. It was their first clean sheet since March 18.
Coventry on the other hand have lost just one of their last 18 matches in the Championship. They would have wanted to get more out of their home leg, but they will still be confident of getting a result on the road.
The Sporting News looks at the important information ahead of the playoff semifinal second leg.
MORE: Is the away goals rule in EFL Championship playoff semifinals?
What time does Middlesbrough vs Coventry kick off?
This Championship playoff match from Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough kicks off on Wednesday, May 17 at 8 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Wed, May 17 | 3 p.m. EDT |
| Canada | Wed, May 17 | 3 p.m. EDT |
| UK | Wed, May 17 | 8 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Thu, May 18 | 5 a.m. AEST |
| India | Thu, May 18 | 12:30 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Thu, May 18 | 3 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Thu, May 18 | 3 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Thu, May 18 | 3 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Thu, May 18 | 7 a.m. NZST |
Middlesbrough vs Coventry live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football | Sky Sports |
| Australia | beIN Sports 3 | beIN Sports Connect, Kayo Sports |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport 7 beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | — | iFollow |
| Hong Kong | — | iFollow |
| Malaysia | — | iFollow |
| Singapore | — | iFollow |
USA: This match will streamed on ESPN+ for viewers in the United States.
Canada: Fans in Canada can stream the match on DAZN.
UK: The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and will be streamed on Sky platforms.
Australia: The game will be available to watch on beIN Sports 3 in Australia and can be streamed on beIN Sports Connect, as well as Kayo Sports.
MORE: When is the EFL Championship play-off final?
Middlesbrough vs Coventry lineups
It would be a surprise if Carrick moved away from the 4-2-3-1 formation for his Middlesbrough side as it has worked for the majority of the season.
Carrick's Coventry counterpart, Mark Robins, is likely to stick to his three-at-the-back formation to try and get an advantage down the wide areas for Coventry.
Below are the predicted lineups for both teams ahead of their Championship playoff match at the Riverside.
Middlesbrough starting 11
Middlesbrough lineup (4-2-3-1): Steffen (GK) — Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles — Hackney, Mowatt — Jones, Akpom, McGree — Archer
- Injured: Clarke, Ramsey, Howson (doubt)
- Suspended: None
Centre-back Matt Clarke is sidelined for Middlesbrough with a back injury, while midfielder Aaron Ramsey is set to miss a fifth straight game with an ankle problem. Midfielder Jonathan Howson is a doubt as he is close to recovering from a muscle injury.
Coventry starting 11
Coventry lineup (4-3-3): Wilson (GK) — McNally, McFadzean, Doyle — Norton-Cuffy, Eccles, Kelly, Hamer, Bidwell — Gyokeres, Godden
- Injured: O'Hare, Palmer, Tavares
- Suspended: None
Attacking mid Callum O'Hare will miss out for Coventry with a knee injury, and central striker Fabio Tavares joins him on the sideline with a leg problem. Forward Kasey Palmer is still out with a muscle injury.
Middlesbrough vs Coventry odds
Middlesbrough are heavy favourites heading into the second leg due to their goalscoring record as well their record of playing well at the Riverside.
They have the third best home record in the Championship this season, behind Burnley and Sheffield United, who finished in the top two places and earned direct promotion to the Premier League.
| MID win | Draw | COV win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | 87/100 | 13/5 | 31/10 | 3/4,19/20 | 4/5, 87/100 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | 1.83 | 3.47 | 4.22 | — | 1.87 / 1.90 |
| SkyBet (UK) | 4/5 | 13/5 | 10/3 | 8/11, 1/1 | 5/6, 5/6 |
| Neds (Australia) | 1.85 | 3.50 | 4.20 | 1.75 / 1.95 | 1.87 / 1.87 |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.83 | 3.39 | 4.40 | 1.76 / 1.99 | 1.89 / 1.85 |
