Middlesbrough host Blackburn Rovers at The Riverside Stadium this afternoon looking to end a losing run after suffering back to back league defeats against Bristol City and Nottingham Forest.
All of the pre match hype has been around Boro’s £9 million signing of Jordan Rhodes and the striker is likely to make his debut against former employers Blackburn Rovers in his very first match as a Boro player.
The home side could also hand debuts to new loan signings Ritchie De Laet and Gaston Ramirez but Middlesbrough Manager Aitor Karanka will be without injured full back George Friend who has a shoulder injury. Centre half Ben Gibson is available for selection after recovering from a hip injury.
Blackburn Rovers could hand a debut to attacker Jordi Gomez after the player signed on loan from Sunderland until the end of the season. Nigerian midfielder Hope Akpan will miss out after picking up a knee injury in training.
Goals have been a rarity in this fixture in recent seasons with the fixture averaging just a goal a game in the last four meetings at The Riverside Stadium. Blackburn Rovers have a poor recent goalscoring record having scored just twice in their last seven league fixtures and the loss of striker Jordan Rhodes on deadline day may make scoring goals that little bit more difficult.
