Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough welcome Southampton for the Championship play-off semi-final first leg on Saturday lunchtime (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Boro won just two of their final 10 games in the regular season (D5 L3) to miss out on automatic promotion but can still reach the Premier League for the first time in nine years.

Saints were unbeaten in their last 19 league games to climb from 15th to fourth as they look to bounce straight back to the top flight.

• Middlesbrough have won their past two home games against Southampton, including a 4-0 league win in January. They've never won three in a row at home against Saints in all competitions.

• Having won four of their five meetings with Middlesbrough between 2005 and 2017 (L1), Southampton are now winless in their previous four against them (D2 L2).

• Middlesbrough were promoted to the top-flight via the play-offs in the second ever season they came into play (1987-88), beating Chelsea over two legs. Since then, they've been in the second tier play-offs four times without success, reaching the final only once (2014-15).

• This is Southampton's third appearance in the Championship play-offs, losing to Derby in the 2006-07 semi-final before beating Leeds in the final at Wembley in 2023-24.

• In their five previous Football League play-off campaigns, Middlesbrough have won the first leg of their semi-final tie only once (D2 L2), winning 2-1 at Brentford in 2014-15.

• Southampton come into this game unbeaten in their final 19 Championship games (W14 D5). Only in 2023-24 have they had a longer run without defeat in the league (22), eventually getting promoted via the play-offs in that campaign.

• Middlesbrough's past 11 goals in the regular Championship season were scored by either Tommy Conway (5), Morgan Whittaker (3) or David Strelec (3).

• Cyle Larin has been involved in six goals in his past six starts for Southampton in all competitions, scoring in each of his previous five (1 assist).

Will momentum play a key role in deciding which teams meet at Wembley in the Championship play-off final on Saturday, 23 May?

Southampton enter the play-offs in the strongest form, unbeaten in the league since 17 January and accumulating 14 points across their past six games.

Millwall ended their regular season one point shy of the automatic promotion places and have earned 11 points in six games, while Middlesbrough have picked up nine and Hull City just six.

"I feel that momentum, wherever you finish – whether it's third, fourth, fifth or sixth – coming into it in a real feel-good factor is really important," Jobi McAnuff told the More Than the Score podcast.

"You look at Millwall or Saints this year and they are definitely the two coming into it with that – and of course they are third and fourth. I think if you are fans of those clubs, it's two factors there that are in your favour."

The play-off semi-finals begin on Friday with Hull City hosting Millwall (20:00 BST).

The Tigers secured their spot on the final day with a 2-1 win over Norwich City, but McAnuff is leaning towards the Lions to progress.

"I do favour Millwall to get through – their away form has been absolutely brilliant this season," he added.

"They are going to be a real hard nut to crack, very solid defensively, very organised, so for the semis I think that suits them well.

"It's a club that has been around the play-offs more often than not in the last few years and not quite able to get there."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is looking forward to two attacking matches with Southampton as Boro's play-off fate was confirmed.

They ended the regular season with a rollercoaster 2-2 draw at Wrexham as their automatic promotion hopes were dashed by Ipswich Town's easy win over QPR.

It all meant that the Teessiders dropped one place from fourth to fifth with the first leg of their semi-final to be played at the Riverside Stadium next Saturday (12:30 BST).

"Two very good games of football probably," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees.

"Two attack-minded teams that want to play, want to press, two great games of football and I'm looking forward to it."

The draw in north Wales made it four games unbeaten for Boro to end the regular season with 10 goals scored in that spell.

The seven-game winless run that preceded that effectively finished off their hopes of a top-two spot, but Hellberg was pleased with how his side tried everything to get the three points against the Dragons.

"We know we had a little chance to get second, but we gave it a shot," he said.

"When the opponent tries to also be forward thinking, they become good games that we're involved in and it was a good game today.

"At half-time, we understood Ipswich were going to win the game quite easily and we gave it a push. They tried to win it, which opened up a lot of space and we should have done that much, much better.

"That was the disappointing thing today, otherwise a lot of things were very good."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts and predictions before the final day Championship showdown in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League between Ipswich Town, Millwall and Middlesbrough.

To realistically finish in the top two, Boro must win and hope that Ipswich lose and Millwall fail to beat Oxford.

If the Tractor Boys draw, Kim Hellberg's side would need to win by six goals to overhaul them on goal difference - and it would also still require the Lions to not beat the U's.

Here are a selection of your responses:

Paul: We blew it a while back. Home games against weaker teams where we dropped points. Oxford and Pompey spring to mind. Those wins would've had us up.

Stephen: Big day coming up. One last roll of the dice. The Boro need three points and the others to drop points. That winless streak has cost automatic promotion. Just got to keep hoping and praying. Roll on Saturday. Up the Boro.

John: Boro have had their dip in form which has coincided with injuries to key players. The return of Whittaker, McGree, Castledine and Hackney will provide the momentum to get them up through the play-offs. They will also use the energy from the penalty decision at Ipswich and the 5-1 home win against Watford to get them over the line. Sixth time lucky to win at Wembley.

Andy: I have to say that if you asked me eight months ago, 'Would Boro be in the play-offs?' I'd have had your hand off! Retrospectively, I'd now say we have blown second place, but there's a slim chance we can do it Saturday.

Proud to support the Boro, I feel we are the best team in the mix, just that spell without a win in seven killed us. I think Ipswich deserve second place on their recent form... But who knows.

Andrew: Come on Boro! Keep up the winning momentum and we will go up. If we're lucky we'll be up with just one more win but if not we'll still go up with three more wins!

Jess: Middlesbrough have got to win. It's a tough ask at Wrexham. Not winning games they should have is probably going to cost them that automatic promotion place. But isn't it a brilliant way to finish, the fight for third place [via the play-offs]? Come on Boro!

There is a lot riding on this game for both sides when they meet on Saturday (12:30 BST).

Victory for Wrexham would give them a play-off spot unless Hull can claim victory by a bigger winning margin, while anything less could also open the door for Derby County to sneak into sixth place.

Middlesbrough already know they will at least be in the play-offs but a win might be enough to pinch the second automatic promotion place depending on the results for Ipswich and Millwall.

• This will be Wrexham's first home game against Middlesbrough in the Football League; the Red Dragons have won their first Football League home game against an opponent in seven of the past 10 occasions (D1 L2), most recently beating Ipswich 5-3 in February.

• Middlesbrough have lost both of their previous away games against Wrexham in all competitions, both in the FA Cup in 1973-74 (1-0) and 1999-00 (2-1).

• Wrexham have won their final match in each of their past four Football League seasons, their longest ever such run.

• Middlesbrough have lost their final game in three of the past five Championship seasons (W1 D1), as many as their previous 14 in the second tier beforehand (W7 D4 L3).

• Between 11 March and 22 April, Middlesbrough had 179 shots in eight Championship matches and scored just seven goals (4% conversion). In their last game against Watford, they had 20 shots and scored five goals (25%).

And so, after 45 Championship games, it all comes down to the final day...

Tell us, Ipswich, Millwall and Middlesbrough fans, how are you feeling?

The Tractor Boys have the advantage going into Saturday's home game with QPR, knowing a win would seal automatic promotion.

But the Lions, one point behind in third place, will seek to keep the pressure on as they host Oxford United while fourth-placed Boro, two points back, head to Wrexham aiming for a win and hoping other results go their way to sneak back over the dotted line where they spent most of the season.

Do you think your side will reach the Premier League by 15:00 BST on Saturday? If not, how hard would it be for them to pick themselves up and go again in the play-offs?

Click here to have your say.

It is set to be an "absolutely brilliant" final day of the Championship promotion race on which "anything can happen", according to the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast team.

Tuesday's dramatic 2-2 draw between Southampton and Ipswich has left Town, Millwall and Middlesbrough to fight it out for the second automatic promotion place in the 46th and final round of games on Saturday (12:30 BST).

Ipswich are in pole position, a point ahead of Millwall, with a goal difference advantage of +17 on the Lions, but with Boro a point further back. Town know they must beat QPR at Portman Road to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough are at Wrexham, who need to secure a play-off spot, while Millwall host already-relegated Oxford United.

"It was a brilliant game," said EFL pundit Jobi McAnuff.

"We have spoken all season about how open the Championship has been. Coventry have been by far and away the best team, worthy winners, but for it to go into the last Saturday [is fantastic].

"Millwall, the team that just won't go away, they're still hanging in there, Middlesbrough, the team off the back of really poor form but with a couple of good results of late, anything can happen, it's going to be absolutely brilliant on Saturday."

Despite extending their unbeaten league run to 18 games, Saints bowed out of the race, sitting four points behind Ipswich, and will need to win the play-offs if they are to secure their own top-flight return.

"It's been a fantastic run. Everyone from afar was hoping they'd get in there, It's Roy of the Rovers stuff," said Bristol Rovers boss Steve Evans.

"In fairness, probably the teams that have been more consistent and better over the course of the season, they're the ones who are going to fight the final day shootout."

Even though he believes Ipswich have been "underwhelming" this season, McAnuff said he expects the Tractor Boys to prevail.

He said: "I expect them to go and finish the job now at home. They have got through what was a tricky run of away games ,which has really been their Achilles heel.

"Big win at Charlton, [point at] West Brom on Saturday and follow up by getting a point at the form team [Southampton].

"I think Kieran McKenna would have taken that before - make sure they're going into the last game of the season very much in control.

"We associate McKenna and Ipswich with that all-out attacking free-flowing football, they haven't found that rhythm this season, they have been a bit underwhelming, I have to say, with the quality they have in their squad.

"I believe they will get over the line but with this squad that's the bare minimum they should be doing this season."

Evans fears for McKenna's future if he is unable to guide Ipswich back to the Premier League.

"If Ipswich turn up and play as they can at Portman Road they'll be in the Premier League," he said.

"If they drop to the play-offs and lose and Kieran McKenna doesn't lead them to the Premier League then he might not lead them anywhere, that's how ruthless football is."

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg is happy his side remain in the hunt for automatic promotion after a more positive few days for the club.

They scored five goals in a league game for the first time since November 2024 as they thrashed Watford.

With Ipswich Town failing to win at West Bromwich Albion, Boro could still finish second although that is dependant on the Tractor Boys failing to win at Southampton on Tuesday night.

But after failing to win for seven matches, successive home wins over Sheffield Wednesday and now the Hornets have returned confidence to Boro's ranks.

They also banished issues at the Riverside, where they had not won a game since 31 January.

Now they will have to wait and see if anything is riding on their trip to Wrexham next Saturday or whether their sole focus will be on the play-offs.

"I talked about if we won the two home games, it has a big opportunity to take it to the last day, which we've done," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees.

"It was also one thing to secure the play-offs, that we have done. Winning at home, that we have done. Scoring six goals, only conceding one - so that was a lot of important things going into this week.

"And we've also shown quality in the second half, in how good we can be, and in the game at Ipswich. So, it's a lot of things that have been very good with this week.

"There is a lot of energy going into the last days of the season, and I'm really, really looking forward to it."