Middlesbrough host in-form Norwich City in the Championship on Wednesday night.
Middlesbrough will be aiming to drag themselves off the canvas after losing 2-0 to Stoke City at the weekend.
The relegation-threatened hosts scored either side of half-time through Bae Jun-ho and Lewis Baker to secure a priceless three points, while handing Boro their fourth loss in five Championship matches.
As a result, the gap between Michael Carrick’s men and the relegation zone has been cut to six points.
A short time ago, Boro were dreaming of the play-offs, but now they enter the Riverside on Wednesday night looking over their shoulders.
The Teessiders host a Norwich team who are perfectly poised to gatecrash the play-offs with just one point separating them from sixth place Hull City following a six-match unbeaten run.
During that purple patch, American striker Josh Sargent has been in blistering form having scored six goals in as many matches to take his tally to 11 for the season, despite being sidelined for four months.
He is the key dangerman for the Canaries and the player that Carrick must focus on shutting down, although the likes of Gabriel Sara and Onel Hernandez are just as threatening in transition.
For Boro to come away with three points looks like a tough ask and that is a sentiment echoed by Sky Sports pundit David Prutton who has predicted Norwich to come away with a narrow 1-0 victory.
Middlesbrough must give a good account of themselves
In their last two matches, Boro really haven’t given a good account of themselves at all, registering a combined three shots on target across defeats to Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City.
Carrick’s men have lost the attacking vigour that was associated with them last season and while that can be put down to a number of high profile departures, there is enough quality in the current side to threaten more than they have done.
The likes of Sam Greenwood, Riley McGree and Emmanuel Latte Lath are all capable of conjuring up pieces of individual quality, but confidence is currently lacking in the squad.
Whilst a fixture against a high flying Norwich side isn’t the ideal one to rediscover their confidence in front of goal, every game in the Championship is tough, especially at this stage of the season.
Supporters can accept losing if the players have put in 110%, but that hasn’t been the case in recent weeks and if that pattern continues on Wednesday, the Canaries can have a field day.
One saving grace for Boro is the fact that the visitors are seventh bottom for the amount of points accumulated on their travels and they must capitalise on that.