Much of the midweek Premier League fixture focus has been reserved for Chelsea against Manchester City. Yet at the bottom of the table, the match between Hull City and Middlesbrough is just as, if not more, important.
Hull welcome Middlesbrough to the Tigers' cage
Defeat for Middlesbrough could leave them as many as eight points away from safety with the same number of games remaining. However, a win for the away side gives them hope of survival whilst Hull could drop four points adrift of the survival places as points become even more critical at this point in the season.
The worry for Steve Agnew's Middlesbrough is that a trip to the KCOM certainly favours Hull. The Tigers are undefeated in six matches on home turf, whilst Marco Silva is unbeaten in 39 games on his own territory. In contrast, Middlesbrough have failed to score in their last five away fixtures and not won in the previous 14.
Rejuvenated home attack look to break down stubborn visiting defensive unit
Middlesbrough's strength certainly lies within their back four, boasting the best defensive record outside of the top seven. However, a potential injury crisis at full-back could force Stewart Downing and Adam Forshaw into unfamiliar positions. With Hull wingers Lazar Markovic and Kamil Grosicki in great form since arriving at the Club in January, such an area will be a serious concern for Agnew.
Silva could be tempted to combine the rejuvenated Oumar Niasse with Abel Hernandez up front as they look to break open a disciplined Middlesbrough unit. Hull had struggled for goals before Christmas but have netted at least two goals in five of their last six home fixtures.
Gestede inclusion could help, though Traore positioning may hinder
At the other end of the pitch, Middlesbrough's form in front of goal is a stark contrast to their defensive record. With just 20 goals in 29 matches, they have the least prolific attacking unit in the league. With playmaker Gaston Ramirez limping off at the weekend, the visiting team's task is made even more challenging.
Adama Traore has potential for Agnew's side but too often flatters to deceive. He has a habit of drifting inside and not tracking back in a position that Hull left-back Andrew Robertson could exploit in a combination with Grosicki on that side of the pitch.
However, Middlesbrough's saving grace could be the aerial ability of Alvaro Negredo and Rudy Gestede against the Premier League team that has conceded the most headed goals this season. Hull struggled to deal with Andy Carroll on Saturday and face a double problem on Wednesday, though Gestede is yet to open his account for Middlesbrough.