Middlesbrough are reportedly weighing up a potential managerial switch, with the pressure growing on Jonathan Woodgate heading into the festive period. 

The Sun have recently reported that Boro are considering appointing former Cardiff boss Neil Warnock for the remainder of this year's campaign.

The 71-year-old left the Bluebirds earlier this season, and could be tempted by one final job in football management, after previously revealing that he was set to retire at the end of this season.

Middlesbrough could be a tough job for Warnock to finish on though, as they're currently sat 20th in the Championship table, and are struggling to stay afloat in the second tier.

Boro were thrashed 4-0 by promotion-chasing Leeds United at the weekend, and Woodgate will know that results simply have to improve at the earliest of opportunities if he to stand any chance of having a long-term future at the Riverside.

We look at TWO pros and TWO cons to Middlesbrough appointing Warnock as Woodgate's successor.

Pro: He knows how to get the best out of underperforming players

Warnock guided Cardiff City into the Premier League with a squad that not many supporters would have expected to be able to perform to such a high standard.

That's a credit to the job Warnock did with the Bluebirds though, and you have to feel as though he's a manager that could get the best out of a group of players that aren't performing to the highest standard possible.

If he was appointed as Middlesbrough's new manager, then he's surely going to fire the players up and get them playing for the badge.

Con: Warnock doesn't have age on his side

Warnock has previously revealed in an interview with BBC Sport that he is set to retire at the end of this year's campaign, so it would be a strange decision for Middlesbrough to target the 71-year-old at this time in his career.

Middlesbrough need a manager that they're going to be able to look towards the long-term with, and with Warnock set to retire at the end of the season, he wouldn't fit that criteria at all.

There are other managers out there that they could target, which would be better-suited to the managerial post at the Riverside.

Pro: He could be the ideal short-term fix

It's safe to say that Middlesbrough haven't hit the heights that were originally expected of them in the Championship this season under Jonathan Woodgate.

They are just one point adrift of the relegation zone, and it will come as no surprise to see the pressure starting to mount on the Boro boss heading into the festive period.

Middlesbrough can't afford to be relegated into the third tier this season, and they simply have to make sure they appoint a manager that knows how to keep teams in the Championship.

Warnock is definitely that type of manager, and his experience at this level would be a real asset for Middlesbrough.

Con: Are fresh ideas needed at Middlesbrough? 

Middlesbrough have been known in the past to play a style of football, that should we say, isn't the most pleasing on the eye.

But since Woodgate has come in, Middlesbrough have started to come away from that stereotype, which had previously been in place under the management of Tony Pulis.

Warnock's style of football is similar to that of the former Stoke boss, and plenty of the Middlesbrough supporters would surely be keen to see a new manager arrive that is going to play a different style of football that might be better-suited to the Championship nowadays.