Middlesbrough v Scunthorpe United

There's a classic six-pointer as Middlesbrough take on relegation rivals Scunthorpe United at the Riverside on Tuesday evening. The Iron are currently one off the bottom of the division and six points behind Tony Mowbray's side but with two games in hand. However, Boro enter the contest unbeaten in their last five league games and they have already performed especially well against clubs towards the lower reaches of the table.

"It's a dangerous game, it's one of those where people just expect us to win," manager Tony Mowbray admitted to Boro's official website. "But there are no easy games, every one is tough. They've won six games away from home but only one at home. We've got to make sure we don't fall into the trap of being their seventh victim. We have to make sure we're professional, organised behind the ball when we're attacking and don't give them opportunities to counter-attack. And hopefully when the chances come along - as I'm sure they will - we stick away a better percentage than we did in the last game."

"The match is similar to the Preston match, playing the teams around us means it's paramount we pick up the wins," Iron manager Ian Baraclough told Scunthorpe's official website. "We have a lot of games coming up against these sorts of teams and these will probably shape the way our season will go. It would be a great time to get the first win; we can go there and lay a marker down against a team in a similar position to us."

New signing Merouane Zemmama is unavailable after arriving from Hibernian as he has returned to Morocco in order to apply for a visa. Boro are still without Barry Robson (Achilles), Danny Coyne (back), Justin Hoyte (hamstring), Luke Williams (ankle), Mickael Tavares (toe) and Kevin Thomson (fibula). But German recruit Maximilian Haas could start in defence.

Deadline signing and former captain of the Bayern Munich second team.

Scunthorpe are missing goalkeeper Joe Murphy due to an ankle injury, while back problems have sidelined both Rob Jones and Cliff Byrne. Winger Garry Thompson is also unavailable with a groin strain and Niall Canavan and Michael O'Connor are still recovering from knee injuries. The Iron sold winger Martyn Woolford (Bristol City) and striker Jonathan Forte (Southampton) on deadline day but did manage to recruit defender Michael Nelson (Norwich City) for an undisclosed fee and striker Joe Garner (Nottingham Forest) on loan. Meanwhile, Lee Miller - who is on loan from Boro - is ineligible under the terms of the original agreement between the clubs.

Key performer in the middle of the pitch for the visitors.

This is a third successive key game against relegation rivals for Boro following earlier meetings with Preston North End (H 1-1) and Bristol City (A 4-0). At the weekend they have another one when visiting Crystal Palace. Scunthorpe were held at home to a scoreless draw by Burnley last time out and next up face local rivals Hull City at Glanford Park. Boro have come out on top in nine of the seventeen meetings between these two clubs with their opponents winning four times.

R. Lewis (Shrewsbury)

Middlesbrough - Crystal Palace (A); Scunthorpe - Hull (H)

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco