Championship outfit Middlesbrough will square up against Premier League club Fulham in the third round of the FA Cup.

Fulham will look to build on their recent win over Chelsea when they host Middlesbrough, while in-form second division club Middlesbrough will look to make it beyond the third round after being knocked out at this stage by Blackburn Rovers last season.

The Cottagers made it to the quarter-finals last season, where they lost to eventual champions Crystal Palace. Marco Silva’s team will look to go further this time around. Marco Silva’s men are in fine form in the Premeir League as they occupy the 9th spot with 31 points in their 21 outings.

Fulham are unbeaten in their last five matches and are heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 2-1 win over Chelsea. While the Blues going down to ten men helped their cause, the win will give them a lot of confidence heading into this fixture.

Meanwhile, Boro are second in the Championship with 46 points in their 26 outings. They are on course to secure promotion to the top flight. While their priority is to continue their dominance in the league, the away side would also love to go the distance in the FA Cup.

After a four-match winless run (D1 L3), Middlesbrough finally returned to winning ways last time out against Southampton. They secured a massive 4-0 win, which will certainly give them the belief that they can take down Fulham. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

Fulham

With Nigeria making it to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze remain unavailable because of international duty. Meanwhile, Marco Silva will also be without Rodrigo Muniz (thigh), Josh King (knee) and Kenny Tete (thigh) because of injury.

The home team will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Bernd Leno will take charge in goal. The back three will be made up of Issa Diop, Joachim Anderson, and Jorge Cuenca. They will receive significant support from Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson, who will feature as wing-backs.

Meanwhile, Sasa Lukic could pair up with Tom Cairney in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure they dictate the pace and dominate proceedings. Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin are expected to feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Raul Jimenez, who will lead the line for Fulham against Middlesbrough.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Leno; Diop, Anderson, Cuenca; Castagne, Lukic, Cairney, Robinson; Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jimenez

Middlesbrough

After making a long-awaited return from injury, Alex Bangura has once again picked up a blow which could sideline him for a while. He joins Callum Brittain (ankle), George Edmundson (hip), Riley McGree (hamstring), and Darragh Lenihan (ankle) on the sidelines.

Boro could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Sol Brynn will take charge in goal. Luke Ayling and Alan Browne are expected to be the full-backs, while Matt Targett could partner Adilson Malanda in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Aidan Morris will start alongside Morgan Whittaker and Hayden Hackney in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure Fulham midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.

Sam Silvera and Tommy Conway will feature out wide on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Finally, Delano Burgzorg will spearhead the Middlesbrough attack against Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Brynn; Ayling, Malanda, Targett, Browne; Hackney, Morris, Whittaker; Silvera, Burgzorg, Conway

Key Stats

• Last season, Fulham lost in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup to eventual champions Crystal Palace, while Middlesbrough lost to Blackburn in the third round.
• Fulham are unbeaten in their last five outings.
• The Cottagers made it to the final of the FA Cup back in 1975. They lost 2-0 to West Ham at Wembley Stadium.
• In the last seven meetings between the two teams, Middlesbrough have failed to win a single game.
• Prior to their 4-0 win over Southampton, Boro were on a four-match winless run.

Player to Watch

Tom Cairney

Embed from Getty Images

While the 34-year-old is no longer a regular starter for Fulham, he is still a very important part of their plans. Cairney, who has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks, has been in sensational form of late.

The Englishman bagged a goal against Crystal Palace, and he has since started both their Premier League outings against Liverpool and Chelsea, helping the team secure a draw and a win. The veteran midfielder’s presence should help Fulham dominate the ball and dictate the tempo.

Prediction

Fulham 2-1 Middlesbrough

Fulham will head into this FA Cup clash full of confidence after their recent upturn in form, and playing at home should only strengthen their belief. Marco Silva’s men are expected to control possession, use the width provided by their wing-backs, and look to wear Middlesbrough down over the course of the game.

That said, Middlesbrough will not make things easy. The EFL Championship high-flyers have already shown they can be ruthless when given space, and their emphatic win last time out will give them plenty of belief.

While Boro could trouble Fulham on the counter and make this a competitive contest, the hosts’ quality and depth should eventually prove decisive. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the Premier League outfit.