Middlesbrough v Bristol City Prediction: Bristol aiming to keep the ball flowing

Middlesbrough hosts Bristol City in the English Championship on Match Day 10. Bristol will be looking to keep the ball flowing. Who is it going to be at the end of the game? 

Middlesbrough fans might have a little cautious optimism having drawn just two points short of the top six; they are ahead now compared to their pitiful period at this point last year. The consistency within the team, though, seems way off. A frustrating 2-1 loss to Watford at just before the international break-that they were winning until the final stages of the match- doesn't help. This put them on a holt from the momentum they had built after two consecutive wins and clean sheets against Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion.

While Carrick could be satisfied that the team had attested its defensive solidity by giving the same rivals just seven goals within nine matches, the attacking side of the game still remains in need of improvement. Middlesbrough had, at no time during the league season scored more than two goals in a match, and finding a balance between attack and defense would represent the biggest challenge for Carrick as the season progresses. The potential is there, but converting that into seamless performances would remain the biggest challenge.

Dieng; Ayling, Van den Berg, Edmundson, Borges; Morris, Hackney; Jones, Azaz, Hamilton; Lath

Bristol City head coach Liam Manning will miss out on his match duties as his young son Theo tragically died. Assistant coach Chris Hogg will take his place on the bench, but the team would all the more be motivated to give a good account of itself during the absence of Manning.

The team has done well in their last four games: six points gained with a 2-1 victory over Oxford United and draws against Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Cardiff City. But above all, the side streamlined its defense and did not allow more than three goals during those matches, in which they conceded ten goals in the last four matches. Hogg's side will look to continue the trend as they are getting on with their Championship campaign.

O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, McNally, McCrorie; Williams, Knight; Hirakawa, Twine, Mehmeti; Armstrong

This is going to be a highly contested and well-dug-in defensive match, especially with what Bristol City have managed to achieve recently in terms of solidity defensively. Still, with the overwhelming solidity that Middlesbrough has shown on defence, it might just be good enough to win this game. And considering Boro's strength in defense and the form of Bristol in recent times, it would not be a wrong postulation to say that Michael Carrick's side will return with a narrow win-even with a clean sheet. The game is going to be really low scoring and only tactically disciplined.