There's a big mid-week fixture list in the Championship coming up and one of the most eye-catching games of the lot has to be Aston Villa v Middlesbrough.

The two sides will both feel they belong in the Premier League but, right now, there is only one side portraying the form that suggests they will be challenging for that honour come the end of the campaign.

Indeed, whilst Villa are continuing to flounder after their 0-0 draw with Brentford at the weekend, Boro are beginning to flex their muscles after a superb win over Bolton at the weekend.

The men from Teesside, then, will fancy their chances ahead of the game at Villa Park and it's likely Garry Monk will not make too many changes ahead of this one.

Indeed, we think just the one could happen with Patrick Bamford coming in for Stewart Downing and operating just off of the impressive Britt Assombalonga.

Bamford is the ideal man to play off of the powerful striker's play through the middle and will operate in those pockets between Villa's defence and midfield whilst Adama Traore flies down the other flank.

Villa, then, will need to pick Bamford up which could open up space for his fellow forwards to get in behind and exploit and so, with that in mind, here is the line-up we expect Boro to go with:

Thoughts, Boro fans? Let us know below!