MATCH PREVIEW: MIDDLESBROUGH V BURNLEY

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Clarets head to Teesside for final game of 2024

2024-12-28T19:30:00.000Z

MATCH PREVIEW: MIDDLESBROUGH V BURNLEY

Clarets head to Teesside for final game of 2024

2024-12-28T19:30:00.000Z

Clarets head to Teesside for final game of 2024

Burnley continue their Sky Bet Championship campaign on Sunday night, as Scott Parker's side take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in the final fixture of 2024.

The Clarets head to Boro in scintillating form, after taking all three points on Boxing Day at Bramall Lane, which extended Burnley's unbeaten league run to 10 games.

Parker's side currently sit 3rd in the Championship table before Sunday's fixtures, but are just a point off top spot after winning the last three games.

Sunday's opponents are just outside the play-off places by a point and are the league's second highest scorers with 41 goals from their 23 matches this season.

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How to watch

A limited amount of tickets are still available for the fixture against Middlesbrough and can be purchased online.

The game is available to watch in the UK on Sky Sports Main Football and to find out the EFL rightsholders countries showing the game live click here.

Live audio commentary will be available as usual via Clarets+ from 7:45pm on the day.

Full match highlights, goals and interviews will be available to view after the match on Clarets+ and across all social media channels.

Click here to view all our Clarets+ packages.

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The opposition

Boro are in their eighth consecutive Sky Bet Championship campaign, after relegation from the Premier League in 2017.

Since 1987, the Teessiders have played all of their league football in the top-two tiers, including an 11-year spell in the top-flight between 1998 and 2009.

A seven-year stint in the Championship then saw Boro back in the big time in 2016 alongside the Clarets, but they instantly returned to the second tier the following season in 2017 and are yet to return.

Apart from finishing 17th in the 2020/21 season, Middlesbrough have secured top-10 finishes in every season since returning to the Championship, including two failed play-off attempts in 2017/18 and 2022/23.

Following a period of five permanent managers in five years as Boro look to return to the Premier League, there has been much more stability at the Riverside since Michael Carrick's appointment in October 2022.

Middlesbrough finished 4th in Carrick's first season with the Teessiders, before securing an 8th place finish last year and the former Manchester United man will be aiming to build on that success once again.

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Last time we met

06/12/24 - Burnley 1 - 1 Middlesbrough (Turf Moor)

Burnley: Trafford, Esteve, Humphreys, Egan (Pires 73), Roberts, Cullen, Brownhill, Sarmiento (Hannibal 60), Koleosho (Laurent 73), Anthony, Rodriguez (Flemming 60)

Unused substitutes: Hladky, Worrall, Ekdal, Hountondji, Massengo

Middlesbrough: Dieng, Barlaser, Fry, Borges, Conway (Latte Lath 72), Hackney, Doak, Burgzorg (McGree 77), Dijksteel, Edmundson, Azaz

Unused substitutes: Brynn, Clarke, Jones, Ayling, Gilert, Howson, McCormick

Goals: Dijksteel 13’, Roberts 37’

Attendance: 20,543

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What Scott Parker said

“We’ve had some big fixtures, as you always do against these big teams. We seem to be able to have a nous about us and a mentality about us which means we know our way around the football pitch. We know how to manage things and we’ve earned the right to get three points.

“There’s a tough game ahead of us on Sunday. Middlesbrough are a very good side, they’re up there in this division. Technically they’re very good.

“Two or three weeks ago when we played them it was a game played on fine margins. We had our moments and they had their moments. It was a bit of a sparring match and I expect it will be no different on Sunday.

“We need to prep now, get back in and get ready for a tough game on Sunday.”