Under-fire Boro boss Michael Carrick takes his Middlesbrough side to Stoke on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) seeking to avoid a sixth straight Championship defeat.
Boro have tumbled down the table to lie 13th and head to a Potters side unbeaten in four home games since Boxing Day, conceding just once in that spell.
Mark Robins' side are 19th, five points above the relegation zone, but could close to within six points of Middlesbrough with a victory.
Stoke City have lost just two of their past 20 home league games against Middlesbrough (W11 D7), a 2-1 loss in February 1998 and a 2-0 defeat in June 2020.