The Verdict

Smith's performances in recent times have been impressive and thus it is hardly a surprise that he has been rewarded with a new deal.

The defender has helped his side claim three clean-sheets since the turn of the year and recently recorded a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.81 during the club's win over promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Middlesbrough will be hoping that Smith and Akpom will be able to maintain their fitness as well as their consistency over the course of the coming months as they aim to hunt down the Blades.

Akpom, who had his contract extended to 2024 last month by Boro, will be confident in his ability to cause issues for West Brom on Saturday as he has managed to find the back of the net on 19 occasions in the Championship this season.