Pick of the stats: Stoke City v Middlesbrough
- Published
Under-fire Boro boss Michael Carrick takes his Middlesbrough side to Stoke on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) seeking to avoid a sixth straight Championship defeat.
Boro have tumbled down the table to lie 13th and head to a Potters side unbeaten in four home games since Boxing Day, conceding just once in that spell.
Mark Robins' side are 19th, five points above the relegation zone, but could close to within six points of Middlesbrough with a victory.
Stoke City have lost just two of their past 20 home league games against Middlesbrough (W11 D7), a 2-1 loss in February 1998 and a 2-0 defeat in June 2020.
After winning the reverse fixture 2-0 in September, Middlesbrough are looking to record a first league double over Stoke City since the 2019-20 season.
Stoke are unbeaten in four home league games (W2 D2) and are looking to pick up back-to-back home wins for the first time in the Championship this season.
Middlesbrough have won seven of their past nine Championship matches played on a Tuesday (L2), although did lose their last away game in midweek 3-1 at Leeds in December.
In his managerial career, Stoke manager Mark Robins has won six and lost just one of his eight previous home league games against Middlesbrough (D1), winning his past three in succession with Coventry from 2021-22 to 2023-24.