Premier League promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough will hope to best mid-table Southampton on Sunday.

Sunday’s meeting at the Riverside Stadium brings together two sides searching for traction after stuttering runs, with Middlesbrough and Southampton both eager to reset their seasons. For different reasons, momentum has drained from each camp, and this fixture feels like a hinge moment rather than a routine league game.

Middlesbrough’s recent downturn has been abrupt. Kim Hellberg’s arrival in November sparked an immediate surge, with four straight wins breathing life into a promotion push that had previously looked uncertain. That early bounce has now faded, replaced by a worrying four-match winless sequence that has yielded just a single point.

Even more alarming than the results has been the lack of attacking output. Boro have failed to score in any of those four games, edging past Blackburn Rovers only to draw a blank, before narrow defeats against Bristol City, Hull City and Derby County exposed a growing bluntness in the final third. That dip has been costly in the table.

Middlesbrough have slipped out of the automatic promotion places and now trail second-placed Ipswich Town by a point, threatening to extend a nine-year absence from the Premier League unless they rediscover their cutting edge quickly. Encouragingly, the Riverside has often been a favourable venue against Southampton.

Boro won this fixture 2-1 in September 2023 and have claimed three victories from their last five home meetings with the Saints. A fast start could again be decisive, particularly given that Middlesbrough have won every league match this season in which they have scored first. Southampton’s story follows a similar arc ahead of the game against Middlesbrough.

Tonda Eckert initially enjoyed a strong response after replacing Will Still, with six wins from his first seven matches turning a difficult campaign on its head. Since being confirmed as permanent manager, however, results have flattened out. The Saints are now five games without a win, though recent draws against Birmingham City and Millwall at least halted the slide and offered some defensive reassurance.

Sitting 14th with 33 points from 25 matches, the Saints remain within sight of the playoff places but cannot afford many more missteps if an immediate return to the Premier League is to remain realistic. Southampton’s record against Middlesbrough has also been unconvincing of late, with no wins in the last three head-to-head meetings.

Away from home, confidence has dipped too, as they have failed to win any of their last four road trips since a heavy victory over Charlton Athletic back in November. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.

Team News & Tactics

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough’s preparation for this fixture has been heavily disrupted by an escalating defensive injury list. The situation worsened further in midweek when Callum Brittain was forced off with an ankle injury during the defeat to Derby County, leaving his availability in serious doubt.

He joins an already lengthy list of absentees at the back, with Darragh Lenihan, Alfie Jones, George Edmundson, and Dael Fry all ruled out through injury. The lack of fit senior defenders significantly limits Kim Hellberg’s options and has been a key factor behind Boro’s recent defensive reshuffles.

In midfield, Riley McGree is also expected to miss out once again. The Australian international has now been absent for the last three matches due to injury, depriving Middlesbrough of one of their most creative and dynamic midfielders. His absence has been felt particularly in advanced areas, where Boro have struggled to link midfield play with their forwards during their recent goal drought.

Tactically, Hellberg is expected to stick with a 4-2-2-2 formation, prioritising balance and protection in front of a makeshift back line. Sol Brynn is likely to start in goal, shielded by a defence that may see Sam Silvera deployed at right-back, alongside Luke Ayling and Matt Targett in central and left-sided defensive roles respectively, with Alex Bangura completing the back four. Given the injury situation, flexibility and positional discipline will be essential in this unit.

In midfield, Alex Gilbert and Aidan Morris are expected to operate as the double pivot, tasked with screening the defence and recycling possession efficiently. Further forward, creativity will fall to Morgan Whittaker and Hayden Hackney, who are likely to occupy advanced central roles, supporting the attack. Up front, Tommy Conway and Delano Burgzorg are expected to provide pace and direct running, with an emphasis on stretching Southampton’s defensive shape and delivering early service into the box.

Probable Lineup (4-2-2-2): Brynn; Silvera, Ayling, Targett, Bangura; Gilbert, Morris; Whittaker, Hackney; Conway, Burgzorg

Southampton

Southampton continue to manage a handful of injury concerns as they travel to the Riverside Stadium, with their midfield still missing a key figure. Shea Charles remains sidelined after being ruled out since October, and the Northern Ireland international is not expected to return until mid-January.

His absence has reduced Southampton’s options in central areas, particularly in terms of ball retention and defensive cover. In addition, Mads Roerslev is unavailable due to a knee injury, while striker Ross Stewart continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, further limiting attacking depth.

On a more positive note, Tonda Eckert is expected to freshen up his starting XI after rotating in recent fixtures. Tom Fellows, Finn Azaz, Caspar Jander, and Adam Armstrong are all pushing for recalls after starting on the bench on New Year’s Day. Their return would add greater dynamism and attacking intent to a side that has drawn its last two matches without scoring.

From a tactical perspective, Southampton are likely to adopt a 3-4-2-1 formation, offering defensive stability while allowing flexibility in advanced areas. Gavin Bazunu is set to continue in goal, protected by a back three comprising Nathan Wood, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and captain Jack Stephens, with responsibility for initiating build-up play from deep.

On the flanks, Tom Fellows is expected to operate as the right wing-back, while Ryan Manning provides width and delivery from the left. In midfield, Flynn Downes should anchor the side alongside Caspar Jander, a pairing tasked with controlling tempo and screening the defensive line.

Ahead of them, Finn Azaz and Leo Scienza are likely to operate in the half-spaces, drifting between midfield and attack to link play and create overloads. Leading the line, Adam Armstrong is expected to start as Southampton’s central striker, using his movement and pressing to stretch Middlesbrough’s depleted defence.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Bazunu; Wood, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens; Fellows, Downes, Jander, Manning; Azaz, Scienza; Armstrong

Key Stats

• Middlesbrough have failed to score in four consecutive Championship matches, their longest goal drought in the league since 2021, despite remaining unbeaten in all 11 games this season when scoring first.
• Southampton are winless in their last five league matches, drawing three and losing two, after winning six of their first seven games under Tonda Eckert.
• Boro have won three of their last five home league meetings with Southampton, including a 2-1 victory at the Riverside Stadium in September 2023.
• Southampton have failed to win any of their last four away league games, scoring just three goals during that run since their 5-1 win at Charlton Athletic in November.
• Middlesbrough have dropped out of the automatic promotion places after taking just one point from their last four matches, falling one point behind second-placed Ipswich Town in the Championship table.

Player to Watch

Delano Burgzorg

Embed from Getty Images

With Middlesbrough searching for a spark after a prolonged goal drought, Delano Burgzorg stands out as a player capable of shifting the balance. Deployed high on the flank or drifting into central spaces, Burgzorg offers directness and unpredictability, qualities Boro have sorely lacked during their recent run without a goal.

Burgzorg’s strength lies in his willingness to take on defenders and drive play forward at pace. Against a Southampton side expected to operate with wing-backs, his ability to attack isolated defenders in wide areas could create overloads or force defensive reshuffles. That kind of disruption may prove vital against a Saints team that has looked increasingly compact and cautious in recent weeks.

Beyond his dribbling, Burgzorg’s movement off the ball allows Middlesbrough to stretch the pitch vertically. He often makes aggressive runs beyond the last line, creating space for midfielders such as Hayden Hackney to step into shooting positions or play through balls into the channels. His pressing from the front also fits Kim Hellberg’s desire for intensity, particularly at home.

If Middlesbrough are to rediscover their attacking rhythm, Burgzorg’s willingness to take responsibility and inject urgency could be a decisive factor.

Prediction

Middlesbrough 1-1 Southampton

This fixture feels finely balanced, shaped as much by uncertainty as by quality. Middlesbrough’s home advantage and urgency in the promotion race suggest they will push the tempo, but their ongoing injury problems in defence and recent struggles in front of goal remain significant obstacles.

Southampton, meanwhile, arrive with a more settled structure and the ability to stay compact, though their own lack of cutting edge away from home limits their attacking threat. With both sides prioritising control and avoiding another setback, the match may develop into a cautious, low-margin contest.