West Ham v Middlesbrough: Scoreline Tip

The TV cameras head to Upton Park on Tuesday night as attention turns to the Championship and the battle to reach the promised land.

West Ham are really feeling the heat in the race for automatic promotion after drawing their last three games, and the last four on their own patch. Those dropped points have allowed red-hot Reading to charge into second spot while Southampton are right back on top form above them. The Hammers need victory in this clash or they risk the top two pulling away.

The situation is similarly perilous for a Middlesbrough side who are clinging onto the final play-off spot after back-to-back defeats. The 3-0 loss at Birmingham on Saturday followed on from a 2-0 reverse at the Riverside against Leeds.

With two teams struggling for form and the stakes getting increasingly high, a nervous, edgy encounter looks almost a certainty. It’s interesting to note that Boro have actually won as many games on their travels (9) as West Ham have on their patch. This one’s destined to be tight and cagey.

The good news for Sam Allardyce is that his side showed real character at Elland Road on Saturday by snatching a last-minute equaliser having conceded a late goal themselves. He can use that morale-booster as a springboard on Tuesday night. Another advantage may be that Mowbray’s team should not be under-estimated by the Upton Park faithful. West Ham have suffered at times this season against smaller sides that the fans have expected to be picked off at ease.

If the Hammers on the pitch, and in the stands, show patience, then they have the superior quality to edge this clash and claim a vital three points. I can’t imagine it will be pretty, but a 1-0 victory for West Ham at best odds of 7/1 (Ladbrokes) looks a good shout.