A Boro free-kick is clipped into the area.

It arrives at the feet of Daniel Ayala at the back stick who fires a low ball across the six-yard area, but it misses the feet of Cristhian Stuani and everybody else.

BREAKING: It's Norwich 6-1 Reading. 

Can we have some of your goals?

Sign of a team playing with no confidence:

• Get the ball in the attacking position
• Play it into the area as fast as possible in the hope of finding a team-mate 

Antonio Barragan just did that trying to find Rudy Gestede who had taken up a good position in the area.

Moments later, Ashley Barnes appears to catch Daniel Ayala in the face with his arm. No card from Martin Atkinson.

The pair square up for a few seconds.

Now, now boys - although that was the most exciting thing that has happened in this game so far.

A sort of decent chance there.

Adam Clayton plays in a teasing ball from the right which keeper Tom Heaton gets to before Cristhian Stuani can poke in.

Burnley clear.

That corner was as effective as an ice cube in Ice Station Zebra.

Rudy Gestede meets Antonio Barragan's cross from the right, but his header floats about five yards of the goal.

Boro have a corner now. 

Bring out the popcorn!

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley's George Boyd fires a fierce shot over the bar from about 14 yards out.

It was rising. And rising.

It's a rather slow tempo inside the stadium.

I know it's warm guys, but not that warm.

We've not had a shot on target yet. We don't count the free-kick against the bar.

Image source, Reuters

Boro striker Rudy Gestede tussles with Michael Keane in the area.

The forward falls over in the box under the challenge, but the appeals seem to come from the crowd rather than the home players.

He's back on the pitch.

Textbook.

Postpublished at 19 mins

19 mins

Middlesbrough 0-0 Burnley

Stephen Ward is on the deck in his own area after a clash with Antonio Barragan.

He looks winded.

It's an 'off the pitch, on the pitch' job by the looks of it.

Boro players appear not to press the opposition players in packs but just as individuals.

They are making life relatively easy for the Clarets.

It's all a bit subdued at the Riverside.

This is a must win game for the home side, right?

Yikes!

Robbie Brady - in the starting XI for the first time since early March - clips the free-kick on to the bar.

Victor Valdes jumped up just in case.

Decent effort from the Republic of Ireland player.

Adam Clayton floats a ball into the area where Cristhian Stauni is loitering, but the Uruguayan can't extend his neck another two feet to reach the ball.

If he had he would have surely hurt his neck.

Anyway... Clarets free-kick 25 yards out at the other end...

Roberto_85: What's wrong with "just surviving" every season? Club like Burnley population of 75k. Get £100 Million+ every season brilliant 

Image source, PA

That was promising.

Boro stalwart Stewart Downing plays the ball with the outside of his boot from the left.

It arrives at the feet of Antonio Barragan in the area, but the right wing-back's effort is blocked.

It raised the pulses inside the sunny Riverside.

Garth Crooks
Former Spurs striker on Final Score

Is the third relegation spot between Hull and Swansea? Garth is saying yes:

"I would say that. I've relegated Sunderland. Middlesbrough don't have the goals to pull them out of this situation so they're doomed. The third place is between Hull and Swansea. Crystal Palace have too much quality."

Image source, Reuters

Boro haven't exactly started on the front foot here. Ominous.

Burnley are pressing well. George Boyd just beat an ambling Grant Leadbitter to the ball in midfield.

The home side need to wake up. 

Now preferably.

We are very much under way.

Middlesbrough: Valdes, Bernardo, Ayala, Gibson, Barragan, Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw, Downing, Stuani, Gestede. Subs: Negredo, Fischer, Guzan, de Roon, Bamford, Fry, Traore. 

Burnley: Heaton, Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward, Boyd, Hendrick, Barton, Brady, Barnes, Gray. Subs: Flanagan, Vokes, Westwood, Tarkowski, Pope, Agyei, Arfield.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)

Boro need a win - and will expect one from this game.

Burnley could do with at least a point.