Pick of the stats: Middlesbrough v Derby County
- Published
The Riverside will play host to a game with interest at both ends of the table as Derby visit Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Boro stopped the rot after five straight league defeats with a 3-1 win at Stoke in midweek and are still only four points behind fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion, despite having briefly slipped into the bottom-half last weekend.
The Rams are winless since Boxing Day and have scored just two goals in their past nine games to slide to second-bottom, four points from safety.
Middlesbrough have won just two of their past nine league games against Derby County (D4 L3), though both victories in that time have come at the Riverside Stadium.
After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in August, Derby County are looking to record a first league double over Middlesbrough since the 1988-89 season.
Middlesbrough have lost their past two home league games, last losing three in a row at the Riverside Stadium in April 2022.
Derby have failed to win any of their past 11 league games, suffering nine defeats in that time (D2). They last had a longer run between September 2007 and August 2008 (36 games).
Derby have failed to score in each of their past three league games, last having a longer run without a goal in March 2021 (4).