Birmingham vs Middlesbrough Predictions

• Birmingham have won just one of their last nine home meetings with Boro, losing five times in that run
• Middlesbrough have won their last two games and two of their last three road fixtures
• Boro have won the last four meetings between these sides

Boro bound for playoffs again?

Middlesbrough navigated a difficult away trip to QPR professionally on Saturday, winning 2-0 in west London in a match many expected them to slip up in against the resurgent Hoops who had lost just one of their last nine and recently beat league leaders Leicester.

Speaking of beating the Foxes, Boro achieved that exact feat three away games ago and their strong travelling could continue at St Andrews, where they have lost just once to Birmingham in their last nine visits.

Middlesbrough have won five of the games in that sequence and have also won their last four meetings with the Blues, suggesting their late surge towards the playoffs – they are currently eight points off sixth-placed Norwich – will continue on Tuesday.

Birmingham’s blues set to continue

Birmingham had shown signs of improvement under Tony Mowbray, winning two in a row before he unfortunately had to step away due to illness, and the charismatic manager’s absence in the dugout is being sorely felt.

The Blues are winless in four since he led them to a 2-1 win over his former club Sunderland and they managed just one shot on target in their 1-0 loss to fellow relegation candidates Millwall on Saturday.

That loss at the Den means they remain just one point above the drop zone and unfortunately for Birmingham, given their poor recent record against Boro, it seems likely their struggles will continue on Tuesday against Michael Carrick’s playoff-chasing side.