**Middlesbrough are rolling, Cardiff are limping** — the hosts bring a 3W-2D streak to the Riverside while the Bluebirds are patchy and short-staffed. 🔴

Boro's defense has tightened up lately, but Cardiff just torched Watford 5-1 at home, so they're not a pushover. The head-to-head is close-ish (Boro 13-10 up), but form is form.

Key storylines:

- **Middlesbrough's momentum** vs Cardiff's injury crisis — losing Colwill, Chambers, and Salech is a body blow for any side
- **Set-piece battle**: Boro have been solid on both ends; Cardiff need to stay compact and hit on the break
- **Cozier-Duberry and Lankshear** linking up in midfield could be the spark Boro need to capitalize at home

Expected lineups:

- **Middlesbrough**: Vítek, Brittain, Malanda, Borges, Ayling, Morris, Cozier-Duberry, Lankshear, Berhalter, Conway, Strelec
- **Cardiff City**: Trott, Bagan, Ng, Bielik, Osho, Robertson, Moylan, Robinson, Tanner, Davies, Willock

Prediction:

**Middlesbrough 2-0 Cardiff City**

Boro's form and home comfort edge out a Cardiff side hamstrung by injuries. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿