Middlesbrough will be full of confidence heading into tomorrow evening's tie against Fulham following an empathic win against Peterborough United at the weekend.

They may have only been 1-0 up at half-time at the Weston Homes Stadium - but they were prolific late on with substitutes Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore getting in on the act late on to make the scoreline a much more attractive one for the Teesside outfit.

This result is a symbol of just how good they have been under the stewardship of Chris Wilder since his arrival in November, transforming them into genuine promotion contenders and their transfer business in January has only helped in their quest for a Premier League return.

 

 

Last weekend's result took them one step closer to securing a spot in the top six - but tomorrow night's tie looks a lot tougher with the Cottagers establishing themselves as the best team in the second tier this term.

Having the attacking quality to blow away any team in the division, Boro's defence will face a considerable task in stopping the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Fabio Carvalho. Will that affect Wilder's starting lineup selection though?

We have predicted the 11 the 54-year-old will go with ahead of this tie.

In goal, Joe Lumley retains his place despite some wobbly moments. He's a frustrating figure to watch at times because he can produce vital saves - but he also looks quite nervous at times and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Boro recruit a new shot-stopper in the summer regardless of which division they are in.

Marc Bola also starts again with Isaiah Jones on the other side - and the duo could be crucial in swinging the momentum in the hosts' favour if they can get forward with the ball and make the most of any opportunities.

Tomorrow night is not the night to be wasteful - and they will be hoping they aren't pinned back too much. However, if it means getting a point or three from the game, they will be willing to sit in.

The same central defensive trio also retain their places with Paddy McNair, Dael Fry and Anfernee Dijksteel all putting in assured performances on Saturday. The latter could be particularly crucial in getting forward if Jones' creativity is stifled by any plans to nullify his threat.

In midfield, captain Jonny Howson is calmness personified and certainly has a key role to place in his side's quest to finish in the play-off zone, though the veteran will also be urging his teammates to keep an eye on the top two as well.

He is currently doing more than enough to earn himself a new deal at the Riverside Stadium.

Matt Crooks and Marcus Tavernier will partner the 33-year-old in the middle of the park once again with Tavernier continuing to improve in recent months, showing exactly why Premier League sides have been interested in him.

Selecting who to play up top was the hardest part of the selection process, with Coburn, Watmore and Andraz Sporar all available as alternatives to Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun.

Coburn and Watmore even managed to get themselves on the scoresheet at the weekend and this is why they have a reason to be upset if they aren't rewarded for that.

However, Connolly's performance was sufficient enough for him to be included once again and it would almost make no sense to change the lineup after a 4-0 win, even though rotation may be important from now until the end of this term.