• Middlesbrough are winless in six in the league. A run that includes losing to Portsmouth (19th) and Charlton (18th) at home.

• Ipswich are two points clear of 3rd-place heading into the weekend, in 2nd, with a game in hand on those below.

• It is still possible for Boro to miss out on the top six altogether, they go to 7th-placed Wrexham on the final day.

📈 Ipswich v Middlesbrough Form & Tactics

Ipswich were looking like the most clutch team in the pack chasing Coventry before the bump in the road they hit on Tuesday. Portsmouth deservedly beat them 2-0 to keep the automatic promotion race alive, the Tractor Boys would have a five-point cushion and a game in hand on 3rd-placed Millwall if they'd taken the three points back from the South Coast.

McKenna will take a lot of comfort from the fact that they have only lost once at home all season, with a draw still being a decent result for their top two bid. Even that defeat was a freak 3-0 loss at home to Charlton, with the newly-promoted side sitting in the lowest of blocks - Middlesbrough won't play like that.

Boro went to Coventry in mid February, arguably looking the more likely side to win the league, but they lost 3-1 and have only won two of their 10 league games that have followed. They have the 3rd-best away record in the division, but that'll feel like a distant memory having not won since early March. 

The most pessimistic sections of the fanbase will be looking over their shoulders, despite holding an eight-point cushion on those outside the play-offs. They could do with sealing a spot in the top six before heading to 7th-placed Wrexham on the final day - with the potential to become documentary lambs for the slaughter.

📔 Ipswich v Middlesbrough Formation & Team News

Ipswich will welcome Leif Davis back into the side. The flying left back missed the Portsmouth trip due to the birth of his first child and represents a huge upgrade on, centre back by trade, Cedric Kipre who stepped into the role in his absence.

Azor Matusiwa looks set to be involved, more likely from the bench, but Wes Burns remains sidelined. McKenna has stuck to a 4-2-3-1 system in the run-in and is unlikely to stray from that despite the midweek defeat.

Boro's drop-off has occurred alongside losing Hayden Hackney to injury. The dynamic central midfielder will likely be playing Premier League football, with or without Boro, next season and his recovery hasn't progressed as Kim Hellberg was hoping. He's a huge miss against a physical and energetic side like Ipswich.

Leo Castledine and Darragh Lenihan are also expected to miss out, while the hosts will be without Conor Townsend through injury.

Boro have switched to 4-4-2 from three at the back in recent weeks, Hellberg may well switch things up again in search of the elusive formula to get them back on track.

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