There have been 35 goals in the past eight Middlesbrough games on the road... place your bets now for how many we'll see this evening.

They have started, like all teams, by pressing Hull very high as they seek to play out from the back. Will they get their rewards as plenty of other sides have done since August?

Hope you've enjoyed the half-hour breather, because we go again!

We're under way at the MKM...

Big atmosphere at the MKM for this sort of, kinda, derby match...

Teams are out, we are nearly ready...

Michael Carrick has rung the changes for Boro after their 0-0 draw against Burnley on Sunday, making four changes for the game at the MKM.

Rav Van den Berg returns to the side after his red card in the draw against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, with the replaced George Edmundson named among the substitutes

Riley McGree, Lukas Engel and Isiah Jones come into the side with Delano Burgzorg, Neto Borges and Liverpool loanee Ben Doak also dropping to the bench.

Ruben Selles has made three changes to the Hull City side from the 1-0 win at Blackburn on Sunday.

Skipper Lewie Coyle is back in place of Matty Jacob, Steven Alzate returns to the midfield, with Xavier Simons dropping to the bench while Abu Kamara misses out, with Abdus Omur handed a start in a forward three behind lone striker Joao Pedro

Plymouth Argyle

Image source, Rex Features

Plymouth interim boss Kevin Nancekivell told BBC Radio Devon he was "proud" of his team following a draw in his first match in charge against Bristol City at lunchtime.

"I'm really proud of them, they did everything we asked and a little bit more. We'll take a point and we'll move on.

"Plegue's done terrific to come into the team, he's a warrior and a communicator, he deserved his goal and it's got us a point, so that's great.

"I've seen Wayne (after he left the club). He's obviously disappointed and really sad, it's a horrible time - people see the Wayne Rooney who's an England international and legend of world football, but they don't know him as a person.

"I've been privileged to get to know him, he's a super human being and he showed a lot of class when he came and said his goodbyes to us and we all wish him well."

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough might be embroiled in a scrap to stay in the play-off places, but defender Dael Fry feels they are good enough to be in the conversation for automatic promotion.

Boro held third-place Burnley to a goalless draw on Sunday to stay in the top six, albeit a dozen points behind the top-two, and they were overhauled in the table by West Brom earlier this afternoon.

"They're a good team, a top side in the division, but coming off the pitch, I said to the lads, 'I think we are a better team than them'," Fry told BBC Radio Tees.

"Over both games we had against them over the season, we defended well and we created chances.

"There's no reason we can't kick on now and challenge."

Boro fans will be especially pleased to have seen their club come out with a clean sheet, having led Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at half-time on Boxing Day before throwing it away as the game ended in a 3-3 draw.

They have however gone seven games without one on their travels, dating back to a 1-0 win at West Brom on 1 October.

"To concede three goals in the second half, we were all disappointed, and we knew against Burnley that we had to be on our mettle," Fry added.

"There's no reason we can't do that every game, we just need to be more consistent.

"No matter who we play, we've got to be 100% committed."

Can they end that run today?

Image source, Rex Features

Ruben Selles may have only be in situ at the MKM for three weeks but he's preparing for his sixth game in charge today, and is already seemingly getting a tune out of his squad.

The Spaniard hailed the reaction he got from Ryan Longman after the winger scored the winner at Blackburn as a substitute three days ago.

Longman had been taken off after 55 minutes of the Boxing Day defeat at Preston North End and started on the bench at Ewood Park before going on to score his first Tigers goal in over two injury-plagued years, which also saw a spell away on loan.

Selles told BBC Radio Humberside: "Ryan was very upset after the last game because he didn't have a very good game and wanted to make a point going onto the pitch.

"It was not only the goal, he was all over the place running, pressing, getting people one-on-one, commanding the team, running back - that's the kind of mentality we need.

"I'm happy because the effort is really good from that dressing room. Everyone is fighting really hard to get results for the club. We have a good platform and hopefully it's the beginning of a good run."

Image source, Rex Features

Ruben Selles and Hull City go in search of a third win in four as Middlesbrough head down the east coast for the early evening kick-off.

Things are looking up for the Tigers since the Spaniard took over from Tim Walter and after four points from his two home games in charge, Selles now tries to follow-up the eye-catching 1-0 win at Blackburn on Sunday.

If City can do that they will prevent Boro doing the double over them for the second time in three seasons, following the 3-1 win at the Riverside 32 days ago, which featured a Tommy Conway double.

Michael Carrick’s men go into this match unbeaten in four - though the past three of those have been draws, two of them ending 3-3 – and seeking to make it three unbeaten at the MKM Stadium.

Middlesbrough have had mixed fortunes on New Year’s Day down the years. Boro have lost 27 times on 1 January, third most among all teams in Football League history, behind only Preston and West Brom, who have 29 apiece after the Baggies beat the Lilywhites this afternoon.

Their record has however improved vastly since the turn of the century - last year’s 3-1 defeat to Coventry on this date was their first in 11 years, with six wins in the previous 10 matches.

The Tigers are a real mixed bag, winning six of their past 10 matches on 1 January, though they also lost 3-1 in 2024, against Sheffield Wednesday their fourth defeat in that stretch, with no draws at all.

What does this evening have in store for us?

Draws for Leeds and Burnley have left the door ajar for Sheffield United and Sunderland, who meet in the 20:00 GMT kick-off tonight.

West Brom are back in the top five, for now, though Middlesbrough could overhaul them with a win at Hull City in the game kicking-off in the next half an hour.

Sheffield Wednesday's win over Derby has brought them within striking distance of the play-off places.

Plymouth and Cardiff picked up useful points this afternoon but Portsmouth's thumping win over Swansea at Fratton Park has taken them back above the dotted line.

Hull City do play at home to Middlesbrough shortly and will hope to make their dip back into the relegation zone a brief one.

Gary Rowett's fine start to life at Oxford United has given them a nice cushion and QPR's lunchtime win over Watford has them looking towards mid-table

But Derby are too close for comfort after defeat at Hillsborough while Luton slide closer to the danger zone after a home defeat to Norwich, and have played a game more than the sides below them.

Image source, PA Media

Max Wober heads over the bar with the last action of an incredible end to a pretty mediocre match.

It looked like we were heading for a goalless draw before Mateo Joseph won a penalty with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Pascal Struijk stepped up to score the spot kick that it looked like would send Leeds five points clear at the top of the Championship.

But in the 90th minute Danny Batth equalised from a corner and the visitors held on through 11 minutes of tense added time to grab a point.

We're beyond the 10 minutes of added time now after Brenden Aaronson whips a free kick into the box but no-one can get on the end of it.

Not long left now, surely.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds commentator

John Eustace is winding up the Leeds fans and he has been warned by the fourth official he will be sent-off if he carries on.

The game has got away from the referee a bit here.

Max Wober forces Aynsley Pears into a save with a fabulous volley but the Rovers goalkeeper keeps it out.

This game never ends in a draw but it looks like this one might/

All over in a crazy game at Hillsborough.

Barry Bannan gave his side the lead early in the game before Josh Windass scored an incredible goal from his own half.

Djeidi Gassama made it 3-0 before Jerry Yates got one one back for the visitors.

Anthony Musaba restored the three-goal lead before Ebou Adams made it 4-2 in added time.

A fantastic second half with one of the goals of the season.

Sam Gallagher heads agonisingly wide for Stoke and it finishes goalless at Turf Moor.

Neither side able to find a breakthrough as Burnley had Hannibal sent off late on.

Image source, PA Media

This is surely a disappointing result for Frank Lampard and Coventry. After levelling just after the break, having conceded early, they've failed to beat 10 men.

A point won't do Cardiff much good in the grand scheme of things, but a strong result in the context of the game.

West Brom have a first win under caretaker boss Chris Brunt.

Their firepower proved too much for Preston, who played their part, But with Josh Maja up front, the Bagges are right in the play-off chase.

Norwich become the first team since Sunderland in October to win at Kenilworth Road.

Boos greet the final whistle, Marcelino Nunez's strike enough to win this game that was dominated by wasted corners from both sides.