Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has revealed that he believes that Middlesbrough will emerge as legitimate contenders for a play-off place this season if they are able to pick up some positive results in their upcoming league fixtures.

Boro produced an eye-catching display last weekend in their showdown with AFC Bournemouth as they secured all three points at the Riverside Stadium.

Andraz Sporar scored what turned out to be the winning goal for Middlesbrough in the second-half as he converted his spot-kick after Isaiah Jones was brought down in the penalty area by Jaidon Anthony.

As a result of this victory, Boro closed the gap between them and the play-off places to two points.

Set to face Nottingham Forest, Blackpool and Sheffield United in their next three league games, it will be intriguing to see whether Middlesbrough will be able to produce some positive performances in these fixtures.

Making reference to the current situation that Boro find themselves in, Goodman has suggested that the club could be in the race for a top-six finish if they continue to push on under the guidance of manager Chris Wilder.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports EFL Podcast about Middlesbrough, Goodman said: "We're certainly not talking about them in relegation terms are we?

"They're not marooned in the middle of the table, they are a couple more wins away from being very, very serious play-off contenders.

"Look, you can see how much the players enjoyed it at the weekend, you can see as the game went on how they grew in confidence because they were up against one of the best teams in the league and actually they played so well and they deserved to win."

 

 

Goodman later added: "Five of the games coming up are against teams in and around them, they play Forest, Blackpool, Sheffield United, Reading, Blackburn and Coventry.

"I think we're going to know an awful lot more about how genuine their opportunity of promotion or in the play-offs is after this little run of games but certainly I was very, very impressed at the weekend with Middlesbrough."

The Verdict

It is hard to disagree with Goodman's comments as Boro's next chunk of fixtures are likely to have a significant impact on what they will be able to achieve in the Championship this season.

Whereas a drop-off in performance levels will result in Middlesbrough losing ground in the race for the play-offs, a continuation of their recent form may allow them to climb the second-tier standings.

With the transfer window set to open next month, Wilder could potentially bolster his side's promotion credentials by drafting in some fresh faces.

If the Boro boss is able to nail his transfer recruitment, there is no reason why Boro cannot go on to provide their supporters with some memorable moments during the second-half of the 2021/22 campaign.