If Middlesbrough get this particular thing right on Wednesday night, they can beat Sheffield United: Opinion | OneFootball

Middlesbrough‘s trip to Bramall Lane last season, also in midweek, was set up to have a huge sway on the Championship play-off race.

Sheffield United won 4-1 in early March and went on to briefly enter the automatic promotion picture, where Middlesbrough missed out on the top six and parted company with Chris Wilder with the club at the bottom end of the second tier a few months into this season.

Michael Carrick will be desperate for history not to repeat itself, particularly with what went after the fixture, and having won seven of their last eight matches, Boro have nothing to fear.

A win would see Boro close the gap to the second-placed Blades to a far more bridgeable seven points, where a defeat would leave their top two hopes in tatters, extending United’s cushion to 13.

United have been pretty reliable in big games towards the top end of the second tier since relegation to the division, and Paul Heckingbottom will be confident that they can tame Boro once again.

One area of the pitch feels particularly significant, as both sides look to gain an advantage.

It is Boro’s left and Sheffield United’s right side, which of course will meet head-on, containing some of the most influential players in the encounter.

Ryan Giles, at left back, is an enormous part of Boro’s attacking threat, and does take up more advanced positions than a more traditional full back in a back four.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee’s combination with Riley McGree in the final third, on the left of an attacking midfield three, will be something that the Blades have identified as a threat.

In protecting their own goal though, Boro will have to deal with overwhelming quality from the hosts down that side.

Sander Berge can drift over there from playing in a midfield three, while Jayden Bogle will likely start at right wing back with Anel Ahmedhodzic, arguably the most important player of the trio, behind them on the right of the back three.

The Bosnian is a key contributor in marauding forward from right centre back, and the three down that flank will likely cause overloads that require Darragh Lenihan’s presence at left centre back for Boro.

Think you’re a hardcore Middlesbrough fan? Try score 20/20 on this quiz all about the club

1 of 20

Who was the club's league top scorer in 2021/22?

Isaiah Jones Andraz Sporar Duncan Watmore Matt Crooks

In terms of individual players who could make decisive contributions in the match, that area of the pitch will be very significant, and whoever comes out on top in that collective duel will be the likely winners.