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SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Riverside Stadium Saturday 22 March 15:00 GMT
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Team News
Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka will be without Grant Leadbitter and Muzzy Carayol for Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with QPR.
Midfielder Leadbitter will miss the game against Harry Redknapp's men, and the trip to Huddersfield which follows it next Tuesday evening, after picking up his 10th booking of the season in the 0-0 draw at Bournemouth last weekend.
Striker Carayol was even more unfortunate at the Goldsands Stadium, however, as he suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament which will require surgery and rule him out for the rest of the season.
There is a glimmer of hope for Karanka with central defender Jonathan Woodgate back in training after missing the last three games with a calf injury.
QPR are hoping for some positive injury news ahead of the trip to Middlesbrough.
Goalkeeper Rob Green could return after missing the 3-0 midweek defeat at Sheffield Wednesday with a rib injury and midfielder Jermaine Jenas should overcome a hamstring niggle.
And right-back Danny Simpson, an ever-present until he was sidelined by a back problem in mid-January, has returned to training and could also be available.
But fellow defender Richard Dunne is suspended after his red card at Hillsborough while Kevin Doyle, Ale Faurlin (both knee), Andrew Johnson, Matty Phillips (both ankle) and Charlie Austin (shoulder) remain sidelined.
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Head-to-Head
⢠QPR won the earlier meeting 2-0 at Loftus Road in September.
⢠They have won the last three meetings without conceding, since Middlesbrough's 2-0 win at the Riverside Stadium in February 2010.
⢠QPR won the last meeting at the Riverside Stadium 3-0 in February 2011, having lost the previous four meetings there in all competitions.
Middlesbrough
⢠Middlesbrough have won only one of their last 10 games, though they have lost only three of those.
⢠They have scored in only two of their last 10 games.
⢠Middlesbrough have lost only one of their last 17 home games in the Championship. Their 1-0 defeat against Brighton on 14 December is their sole loss at home since the opening day of the season.
QPR
⢠QPR have won only two of their last nine games, against Birmingham and Yeovil.
⢠They have conceded 31 league goals so far this season - only Brighton have let in fewer in the Championship.
⢠QPR have won only one of their last five away games, losing the other four. Their only win on the road since mid-January was 2-0 at Birmingham on 8 March.
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