Two sides at opposite ends of the table go head to head on the final day of the Championship season when Middlesbrough host Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
Aitor Karanka's side are all but certain to miss out on automatic promotion, while Brighton are still breathing a sigh of relief as they narrowly avoided relegation.
Middlesbrough
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With Bournemouth three points clear of Boro and with a 19-goal superior goal difference heading into this match, it would take a miracle for the home side to secure the second automatic promotion spot in their final game of the season.
A win would guarantee Aitor Karanka's side third spot in the table, theoretically giving them the easiest route through the playoffs as they seek to end a five-season stay in the second tier.
Boro came out on the wrong side of a 4-3 thriller with Fulham at Craven Cottage last time out, leaving them with two defeats in their last five outings, which has surely cost them a place in the top two.
Despite letting in four goals last time out, Middlesbrough still have the best defence in the division, having conceded just 37 times so far this season while keeping 20 clean sheets in 45 outings, which is eight goals fewer than next-best Bournemouth.
They have not been as clinical down the other end though, averaging just over 1.5 goals per match, giving them the eighth-best attack in the league behind the likes of Brentford and Nottingham Forest, who both sit outside the playoff places.
The club's top goal scorer this season has been on-loan Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford, with 19 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, but he has not found the target in their last two outings, a run he will be keen to end this weekend.
Recent form: WLWWWL
Brighton & Hove Albion
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It has been a close call for the Seagulls this year, with Chris Hughton's side sitting just five points clear of the already-relegated bottom three ahead of their final fixture of the campaign.
Brighton have struggled in recent weeks, losing five of their six previous matches, while also drawing with Huddersfield, although several of their matches have come against sides in contention at the other end of the table, including last weekend when they lost 2-0 to Watford.
This weekend's visitors to the Riverside's only win in their last 10 outings was a 1-0 victory over Blackburn back in March thanks to an own goal from Matt Kilgallon.
Despite their lowly league position, Brighton have been defensively strong this campaign, conceding just 54 goals, which is the same as Wolverhampton Wanderers, who sit just outside the playoffs places, and only one more than sixth-placed Derby County.
Going forward is where the team has struggled though, scoring just 44 goals, less than one per match, so far; only the three relegated sides and Sheffield Wednesday have found the back of the net fewer times.
Even with victory, Brighton, who have contested the playoffs for the last two seasons, cannot finish higher than 19th this season, giving them their lowest finish since their promotion from League One in 2011.
Recent form: LLLWLL
Team News
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The home side will be missing George Friend as he is suspended after picking up a red card in the defeat to Fulham last weekend.
Karanka has revealed that he is likely to start Dwight Tiendalli at left-back in place of Friend, but that he is wary of making too many changes to his side.
Mustapha Carayol has just returned to Boro after a loan spell with Brighton to regain fitness after an ACL tear, but the manager has said that he is likely to rest him this weekend, saving him for the inevitable playoffs.
The visitors will still be without Sam Baldock as he continues to battle a knee problem, while Solly March is back in training following a calf problem, but is unlikely to feature.
Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Konstantopoulos, Ayala, Gibson, Tiendalli, Fredericks, Clayton, Leadbitter, Adomah, Vossen, Tomlin, Bamford
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Stockdale, Halford, Greer, Dunk, Bruno, Kayal, Stephens, Forster-Caskey, Bennett, Carayol, O'Grady
Head To Head
In their meeting at the Amex Stadium earlier in the season, Boro secured a 2-1 victory, giving them back-to-back wins over this weekend's opponents.
The most recent two meetings between these two teams at the Riverside though have both ended in away wins for Brighton.
There have been just 13 previous fixtures between these two teams, with Middlesbrough winning more than half, while Brighton have won four and two have ended in a draw.
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We say: Middlesbrough 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Middlesbrough still need the win to make sure that they finish third in the table, leaving them with a theoretically easier path through the playoffs, and they will be hoping that Brighton do not end their winless run. Boro have historically done well against Brighton, so should be confident of securing all three points this weekend.
Sian Cowper
