Boro are looking to jump back to the top of the Championship at St Andrews tonight against a Birmingham side looking for their first win since the start of January.
The Blues have enjoyed an eight-day break since their last outing against Millwall while Boro were in FA Cup action against Arsenal on Sunday.
But with Bournemouth dropping points at home to Huddersfield on Saturday, Boro can get back to winning ways as they look to extend their unbeaten run in the league to nine games.
Here's all you need to know in our in-depth matchfile:
Probable line ups
Likely line-ups for Birmingham City v Boro
Injury news
Boro welcome defender Tomas Kalas back into the squad after the Chelsea loanee was ineligible for Sunday’s FA Cup defeat at Arsenal, but Daniel Ayala remains on the sidelines.
Adam Forshaw also returns after being cup-tied, but Aitor Karanka has no fresh injury worries to contend with.
Damia Abella (cruciate) and Rhys Williams (Achilles) are long-term absentees, while winger Mustapha Carayol is working on his fitness with the Under-21s after a 10-month lay-off.
Birmingham are without Michael Morrison (ankle), while Matt Green and Gavin Gunning (both knee) remain several months away from action.
The thoughts of the boss
“Now the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup have passed. We have a lot of good memories but now the league is the main thing.
“The best thing that we can take from the experience is to play in these stadiums. It’s amazing to play at Anfield, the Etihad and the Emirates.
“There’s just the league to focus on now but we still have five games in two weeks.
“We have to take the positives and negatives from Sunday, the FA Cup and our games in the Capital One Cup. We are going to improve and we have two very important months now.”
“If we want to play at these places next season then we have to work hard because everyone knows how difficult the Championship is.
“We have to keep going. We have had a bad day against Arsenal but we haven’t dropped any points.”
Opposition's view
Blues boss Gary Rowett admits his team need to start hitting the back of the net after scoring just once in their last four games.
He said: ”If you look at the Reading game we scored six goals from seven shots. But if you look at the Fulham game we scored no goals in open play from about six fabulous chances.
"The difference is just being ruthless on the day and showing a little bit of quality.
"What we have to understand is because we haven’t got £10m strikers to chuck out whenever we want to find a solution - sometimes we have to be patient with people and we have to work with them and try and get the best out of them.”
Their man in the know - Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail
“Birmingham are unrecognisable from the side that lost to Boro on the opening day.
“As soon as Gary Rowett was appointed (in October) the results picked up and they were a totally different side for 12 or 13 matches.
“That form has plateaued in the last five games, but that’s probably because teams are becoming a bit smarter and working out how Birmingham play.
“It’s not rocket science - Rowett is playing people in their right positions and has identified a system to best fit the players he has at his disposal."
Who's the dangerman?
Any teenager who was the subject of a £5m bid last month has to have something about them, and Demarai Gray certainly is the one to watch for Birmingham City.
Rejecting a series of big-money offers from Bournemouth for the promising winger, Birmingham can now breathe a sigh of relief after keeping hold of their prized asset.
The 18-year-old has been taken out of the media spotlight in recent weeks, with Gary Rowett naming Gray on the bench against Fulham and Millwall.
But tonight could be the night that the lively flanker is brought back into the Blues team - and Boro will have their hands full.
What's the form?
Sunday's FA Cup humbling at Arsenal ended Boro’s six-match winning run, but top spot remains in reach after a scintillating Championship run.
Aitor Karanka’s side know victory at St Andrew’s will see them return to the summit and would be a sixth straight league success.
Boro are unbeaten in their last eight league outings and have conceded only three goals in that time.
Clean sheets have become a norm under Karanka, but Boro haven’t managed to notch one in the three matches so far this month.
Despite that, Boro still boast the best defensive record in the division, shipping only 20 goals in their 30 Championship duels.
Victories this season have largely been built on a steady defensive foundation, and Boro have scored fewer goals (48) than any of the top six.
After cruising clear of the relegation zone following Gary Rowett’s arrival, Birmingham’s league form has stuttered in recent weeks.
The Blues go into tonight’s game without a win in their last six matches, but they have drawn four of those.
And the fixture fairy hasn’t been too kind to them either, with battling points against Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds going slightly under the radar.
Eight points separate Birmingham and the bottom three, and although the Blues have been looking upwards under Rowett, they must rediscover their winning touch or risk being dragged back into the relegation mire.
BORO’S LAST FIVE
Feb 15 (a) ARSENAL L 0-2 FAC
Feb 10 (a) BLACKPOOL W 2-1
Feb 7 (h) CHARLTON W 3-1
Jan 31 (a) BRENTFORD W 1-0
Jan 24 (a) MAN CITY W 2-0 FAC
Last five aways: 0-2, 2-1, 1-0, 2-0, 0-0
BIRMINGHAM'S LAST FIVE
Feb 10 (h) MILLWALL L 0-1
Feb 7 (a) FULHAM D 1-1
Jan 31 (h) NORWICH D 0-0
Jan 27 (a) SHEFF WED D 0-0
Jan 24 (h) WEST BROM L 1-2 FAC
Last five homes: 0-1, 0-0, 1-2, 3-1, 0-4
Players who have worn both shirts
The following have played for both Boro and Birmingham City: Marcus Bent, Wallace Clark, Jack Elkes, Edmund Eyre, John Fall, Caleb Folan (pictured), Curtis Fleming, Jack Hall, Jonathan Grounds, Allan Johnston, Cameron Jerome, Marlon King, Lewis Lodge, Alan Miller, David Murphy, Dick Neal, Bryan Orritt, Jay O’Shea, Stuart Parnaby, Fred Pentland, Jamie Pollock, Kevin Poole, Franck Queudrue, Martin Russell, Geoff Scott, George Smith, Martin Thomas, Steve Vickers, Johnny Vincent, Fred Wilcox, Jimmy Windridge.
Coaching connections: Malcolm Beard, Jim Blyth, Jamie Clapham, Terry Cooper, Garry Pendrey, Jim Smith, Bruce Rioch, Colin Todd, David Geddis
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