Neil Maddison
Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Tees

It was great movement by Finn Azaz, who moves the ball over.

He is probably better on the left-hand side.

Sam Greenwood gets his shot off, but the block comes in.

Now Sam Greenwood has a sight of goal as the visitors are opened up.

But Trai Hume gets back to make an important block.

Sunderland fans are in good voice at the Riverside and with the Black Cats' miserable record here they may well need them.

Middlesbrough's home form hasn't been so bonny of late though. They've picked up four points from their last five matches here.

Pierre Ekwah has the first attempt on goal for the visitors and it's a decent effort as sends a long-range free kick just over the bar.

Neil Maddison
Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Tees

It is a reality of life in the Championship that you have to sell players.

The good thing about this particular deal for Morgan Rogers, who has left Middlesbrough for Aston Villa, is that Boro have sold big in a position where they are well-stocked.

Rogers was improving all of the time, but he is replaceable. He wanted to go. That is not a criticism of him.

I think he will be missed. But, when you look at him, he was hit and miss at times.

You've sold the player and it steadies the club.

Gary Bennett
Ex-Sunderland defender on BBC Radio Newcastle

Sunderland's record at Middlesbrough is not very good.

There was a good 3-1 win over Stoke last week.

The question is, can they do it again?

Every week, we don't know which Sunderland are going to turn up.

Referee Darren England blows the whistle and we're away.

Derby or not, expect a full-blooded start. Let's go.

Image source, Rex Features

Gary Bennett
Ex-Sunderland defender on BBC Radio Newcastle

It will be interesting to see how new Sunderland signing Leo Hjelde fits in at left-back.

Fingers crossed that he does well.

While Trai Hume can come across from right-back and do a job there, Hjelde most probably gives a better balance on that left-hand side.

But, for me, he is an unknown. It's a big ask. It's also getting that understanding with his team-mates.

Middlesbrough make three changes from the side which were beaten 6-1 at Chelsea in the EFL Cup semi-final 12 days ago.

Luke Ayling comes in at full-back for Matt Clarke who drops to the bench, while Finn Azaz replaces Matt Crooks in midfield and forward Sam Greenwood comes in for Morgan Rogers after his deadline day departure to Aston Villa.

Middlesbrough XI: Glover, Ayling, Fry, van den Berg, Engel, Barlaser, Hackney, Forss, Howson, Azaz, Greenwood.

Substitutes: Clarke, Gilbert, Dijksteel, McNair, Silvera, Coburn, O’Brien, Jamie Jones, Thomas.

Sunderland boss Michael Beale also makes changes from the side which beat Stoke 3-1 last time out.

Leo Hjelde makes his first Sunderland start, replacing Jenson Seelt, while Patrick Roberts returns to the squad following a calf injury and takes his place on the bench alongside deadline day signing, winger Romaine Mundle.

Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, O'Nein (c), Ballard, Hjelde, Neil, Ekwah, Jobe, Ba, Clarke, Burstow.

Substitutes: Bishop, Pembele, Seelt, Aouchiche, Kelly, Rusyn, Roberts, Mundle, Luis Hemir.

Matt Newsum
BBC Sport at the Riverside Stadium

There's always a considerable debate among both sets of fans as to whether this game constitutes a proper 'derby' or not, but whatever tag is applied there's still a healthy dollop of rivalry about the Riverside this dinnertime.

Sunderland obviously reserve their venom for Newcastle, while Middlesbrough have had their pointed moments with Leeds over the years.

Yet, I've been to a few of these games and they can get pretty testy. They're close enough along the A19 to have a sense of animosity.

The away fans have just serenaded Boro with "you're just a small town in Yorkshire". Football humour eh?

From the police presence, which could easily be described as 'heavy', they certainly see it as a possible flashpoint fixture.

Let's face it, derby or no derby, defeat is not an option today.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough have had by far the best of the meetings in recent years, winning seven and losing just once of the last nine derbies, but that Sunderland win did come last season at the Stadium of Light.

Boro also have the carrot of their first league double over Sunderland since the Premier League campaign of 2016-17, having handed out a 4-0 hammering on Wearside in October.

Sunderland fans will have few happy memories heading back home from Middlesbrough, having won just two and lost 16 of their last 26 league visits.

Their last victory there came in the 2005-06 campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

For the Black Cats, three points this afternoon would propel them up from ninth and into the last play-off berth in a mid-table more congested than a badly-blocked nose.

Like their rivals, Sunderland have struggled to put winning runs together this term and a change in management has failed to fix that just yet.

They have won three and lost three of the seven league matches since Michael Beale took over from Tony Mowbray in December, with all three defeats coming against teams placed higher in the league - Coventry, Ipswich and Hull.

Sunderland will need to improve their away form if they're to pick up the W today, having won just one of their last nine Championship matches on the road.

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough desperately need to inject some consistency into their season if they're to secure a place in the Championship play-offs for the second season running.

A win today would move Boro up to 10th and level on points with Sunderland with a game in hand, but only victory by a four-goal margin would move them above the Wearsiders.

And more crucially, it would bring them within two points of the play-off places.

To underline their inconsistency, Boro have identical records at home and away - P14 W6 D2 L6 (20 points) - even their goal difference at home is perfectly symmetrical, 15 scored, the same conceded.

Aside from a freakish six-game winning run from September to October, Michael Carrick’s side have only once strung together back-to-back league wins this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning and welcome - we've got a proper lunchtime feast of football for you today.

There's debate in some quarters whether the Tees-Wear derby is actually a derby at all.

The sides are separated by just 31 miles and today Sunderland will enjoy a quick jaunt down the A19 to the Riverside.

Yet aside from regional bragging rights, long-term there's something even bigger to play for - a Championship play-off berth with both sides well in the mix.

Kick-off is in 15 minutes...