Can middlesbrough gain promotion?

Most Boro fans would agree that Boro are punching high above many fans expectations by currently sitting 4th in the npower championship. 'Messiah', Tony Mowbray has given a the teesside club a new start in the championship from the dark days of Gordan Strachan and his stingy way of playing nothing other than his trusted four four two formation. Middlesbrough have picked up 45 points from 25 league games and are currently sitting, nice and high in 4th place.

However Boro haven't got this far by scoring a shed load of goals, it has been their scrooge like defense that has only given up 23 goals, the lowest number in the league. The main problem for boro has been the lack of goals, while southampton and West ham have managed to wrap some big wins, while boro have struggled to hit the net. Although, Mowbray hopes this to change when it is reported that young coventry foward, Lukas Jutkiewicz could be heading to teesside for 2 million pounds. The foward has bagged 9 league goals for a struggling side and could be a vital signing that could posess a poetent theart for many champioship defence's.

Boro also have a massive cup tie against bitter rivals sunderland to look foward to that will broadcast live on Itv 1 on sunday 29th January kicking off at 1.30 pm . Boro will hope to give the premier league outfit a difficult afternoon and it will be paticulary intresting to see many of the boro players, play in one of only one or two derby games. As the last time the sides met was three years ago in a premier league match in which sunderland the sides drew 1-1 at the riverside.